WO1999031233A1 - Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof - Google Patents

Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999031233A1
WO1999031233A1 PCT/GB1998/003766 GB9803766W WO9931233A1 WO 1999031233 A1 WO1999031233 A1 WO 1999031233A1 GB 9803766 W GB9803766 W GB 9803766W WO 9931233 A1 WO9931233 A1 WO 9931233A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fibronectin
polypeptide
polynucleotide
die
msf
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PCT/GB1998/003766
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French (fr)
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WO1999031233A8 (en
Inventor
Seth Lawrence Schor
Ana Maria Schor
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University Of Dundee
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Publication date
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Priority to JP2000539133A priority Critical patent/JP5099943B2/en
Priority to DE69840550T priority patent/DE69840550D1/en
Priority to US09/581,651 priority patent/US7351810B1/en
Priority to EP98960025A priority patent/EP1042466B1/en
Priority to AU15712/99A priority patent/AU1571299A/en
Publication of WO1999031233A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999031233A1/en
Publication of WO1999031233A8 publication Critical patent/WO1999031233A8/en
Priority to US11/929,587 priority patent/US7811789B2/en

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    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07KPEPTIDES
    • C07K16/00Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
    • C07K16/18Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans
    • C07K16/24Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans against cytokines, lymphokines or interferons
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61PSPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P17/00Drugs for dermatological disorders
    • A61P17/02Drugs for dermatological disorders for treating wounds, ulcers, burns, scars, keloids, or the like
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07KPEPTIDES
    • C07K14/00Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/435Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
    • C07K14/52Cytokines; Lymphokines; Interferons
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61KPREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K38/00Medicinal preparations containing peptides
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07KPEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/30Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by aspects of specificity or valency
    • C07K2317/33Crossreactivity, e.g. for species or epitope, or lack of said crossreactivity
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07KPEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/30Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by aspects of specificity or valency
    • C07K2317/34Identification of a linear epitope shorter than 20 amino acid residues or of a conformational epitope defined by amino acid residues
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2333/00Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature
    • G01N2333/435Assays involving biological materials from specific organisms or of a specific nature from animals; from humans
    • G01N2333/78Connective tissue peptides, e.g. collagen, elastin, laminin, fibronectin, vitronectin, cold insoluble globulin [CIG]

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof and in particular to migration stimulating factor (MSF).
  • MSF migration stimulating factor
  • MSF has been described previously in the following papers.
  • Schor et al (1988) /. Cell Sci. 90: 391-399 shows that foetal and cancer patient fibroblasts produce an autocrine migration stimulating factor not made by normal adult cells.
  • Schor et al (1988) /. Cell Sci. 90: 401-407 shows that fibroblasts from cancer patients display a mixture of both foetal and adult phenotypic characteristics.
  • Schor et al (1989) In Vitro 25: 737-746 describes a mechanism of action of the migration stimulating factor (MSF) produced by fetal and cancer patient fibroblasts and its effect on hyaluronic acid synthesis. Grey et al (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • MSF migration stimulating factor
  • MSF activity isolated from foetal fibroblast conditioned medium consists of three proteins, one with an apparent molecular weight of 119kDa and a double of 43 and 33kDa, and, indeed, it was suggested that MSF could be a proteotytic degradation product of fibronectin.
  • MSF is believed to be produced by fibroblasts obtained from a majority of breast cancer patients and is not made by their normal adult counterparts. It is believed diat measuring the levels of MSF, for example, in circulating blood or in serum or in urine, may be useful in identifying patients who have or are susceptible to cancer, or that it may be useful in prognosing the outcome of cancer. MSF producing fibroblasts are present in patients with a number of common epithelial tumours, such as carcinoma of the breast, lung and colon, as well as melanoma, and soft tissue sarcoma.
  • MSF MSF
  • MSF may be useful in wound healing since it is present in a majority of wound fluid samples.
  • the directed migration of fibroblasts into the wound site and the transient increase in hyaluronic acid in granulation tissue during die wound healing response are both consistent with the involvement of MSF. (MSF stimulates the synthesis of a high molecular weight species of hyaluronic acid).
  • MSF is known to be related to fibronectin since certain antibodies raised to MSF also bind to fibronectin.
  • Fibronectin is a widely distributed glycoprotein present at high concentrations in most extracellular matrices, in plasma (300 ⁇ g/ml), and in odier body fluids. Fibronectin is a prominent adhesive protein and mediates various aspects of cellular interactions with extracellular matrices including migration. Its principal functions appear to be in cellular migration during development and wound healing, regulation of cell growth and differentiation, and haemostasis/thrombosis. Further progress in understanding MSF was hindered by the fact that it has not been clear whether MSF is a degradation or breakdown product of fibronectin, and because MSF appears to be structurally related to fibronectin.
  • MSF is not a breakdown product of fibronectin but that it appears, quite unexpectedly, to be a "mini" splice variant of fibronectin.
  • the availability of a polymicleotide encoding MSF, disclosed for the first time herein makes available methods for producing MSF and useful variants thereof, and makes available new methods of specifically identifying, measuring and localising MSF.
  • a first aspect of the invention provides a recombinant polymicleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence
  • Figure 2 shows the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert in pMSFl ⁇ which contains the coding sequence for human migration stimulating factor (MSF).
  • the amino acid sequence is based on diat between the most N-terminal methionine and die most C-terminal stop codon (which are marked X).
  • the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide comprising die amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl ⁇ between positions 19 and 660 (ie. starting MLRGPG... as marked and encoding ...LGY as marked), or variants of fragments or fusions or derivatives diereof or fusions of said variants or fragments.
  • MSF amino acid sequence given in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl ⁇ and, in particular, the amino acid sequence given between positions 19 and 660.
  • Amino acid residues are given in standard single letter code or standard tiiree letter code throughout the specification.
  • the recombinant polynucleotides of the invention are not polynucleotides which encode fibronectin or fragments of fibronectin such as the gelatin binding domain.
  • the fragments and variants and derivatives are ose that include a polynucleotide which encodes a portion or portions of MSF which are portions that distinguish MSF from fibronectin and which are described in more detail below and by reference to Figure 2.
  • the polynucleotide may be DNA or RNA but it is preferred if it is DNA.
  • the polynucleotide may or may not contain introns. It is preferred that it does not contain introns and it is particularly preferred if the polynucleotide is a cDNA.
  • a polynucleotide of the invention is one which comprises the polynucleotide whose sequence is given in Figure 1.
  • a polynucleotide of the invention includes die sequence
  • CTGTGAGTAT CCCACCCAGA AACCTTGGAT ACTGAGTCTC CTAATCTTAT
  • the polynucleotide of the invention is one which comprises the polynucleotide whose sequence is given between positions 57 and 1982 in Figure 1 since this is believed to be die coding sequence for human MSF.
  • the invention includes a polynucleotide comprising a fragment of me recombinant polynucleotide of die first aspect of the invention.
  • the polynucleotide comprises a fragment which is at least 10 nucleotides in length, more preferably at least 14 nucleotides in length and still more preferably at least 18 nucleotides in length.
  • Such polynucleotides are useful as PCR primers.
  • a “variation" of the polynucleotide includes one which is (i) usable to produce a protein or a fragment thereof which is in turn usable to prepare antibodies which specifically bind to d e protein encoded by die said polynucleotide or (ii) an antisense sequence corresponding to me polynucleotide or to a variation of type (i) as just defined.
  • different codons can be substituted which code for the same amino acid(s) as die original codons.
  • die substitute codons may code for a different amino acid diat will not affect me activity or immunogenicity of the protein or which may improve or omerwise modulate its activity or immunogenicity.
  • site-directed mutagenesis or o ier techniques can be employed to create single or multiple mutations, such as replacements, insertions, deletions, and transpositions, as described in Botstein and Shortle, "Strategies and Applications of In Vitro Mutagenesis," Science, 229: 193-210 (1985), which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference. Since such modified polynucleotides can be obtained by die application of known techniques to me teachings contained herein, such modified polynucleotides are widiin the scope of the claimed invention.
  • die polynucleotide sequence (or fragments thereof) of the invention can be used to obtain odier polynucleotide sequences diat hybridise with it under conditions of high stringency.
  • Such polynucleotides includes any genomic DNA.
  • die polynucleotide of the invention includes polynucleotide mat shows at least 55 per cent, preferably 60 per cent, and more preferably at least 70 per cent and most preferably at least 90 per cent homology with die polynucleotide identified in the method of the invention, provided that such homologous polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide which is usable in at least some of the memods described below or is otherwise useful. It is particularly preferred that in diis embodiment, the polynucleotide is one which encodes a polypeptide containing a portion or portions mat distinguish MSF from fibronectin.
  • MSF is found in mammals other than human.
  • the present invention merefore includes polynucleotides which encode MSF from other mammalian species including rat, mouse, cow, pig, sheep, rabbit and so on. Per cent homology can be determined by, for example, the GAP program of the University of Wisconsin Genetic Computer Group.
  • DNA-DNA, DNA-RNA and RNA-RNA hybridisation may be performed in aqueous solution containing between 0.1XSSC and 6XSSC and at temperatures of between 55 °C and 70 °C. It is well known in die art diat die higher the temperature or the lower die SSC concentration the more stringent die hybridisation conditions. By “high stringency” we mean 2XSSC and 65°C. 1XSSC is 0.15M NaCl/0.015M sodium citrate. Polynucleotides which hybridise at high stringency are included within me scope of the claimed invention.
  • “Variations" of the polynucleotide also include polynucleotide in which relatively short stretches (for example 20 to 50 nucleotides) have a high degree of homology (at least 80% and preferably at least 90 or 95%) widi equivalent stretches of the polynucleotide of the invention even though the overall homology between die two polynucleotides may be much less. This is because important active or binding sites may be shared even when die general architecture of the protein is different.
  • variants of the polypeptide we include insertions, deletions and substitutions, eidier conservative or non-conservative, where such changes do not substantially alter the activity of me said MSF.
  • Variants and variations of the polynucleotide and polypeptide include natural variants, including allelic variants and naturally-occurring mutant forms.
  • MSF may be assessed in bioassays based on its stimulation of adult skin fibroblast migration, for example, as is described in Picardo et al (1991) The Lancet 337, 130-133. Specificity for MSF may be inferred by neutralisation of migration stimulating activity by anti-MSF polyclonal antibodies (as herein disclosed). MSF may also be assayed using immunological techniques such as ELISA and die like.
  • substitutions is intended combinations such as Gly, Ala; Val, He, Leu; Asp, Glu; Asn, Gin; Ser, Thr; Lys, Arg; and Phe, Tyr.
  • Such variants may be made using the metiiods of protein engineering and site-directed mutagenesis well known in the art.
  • die variant or variation of the polynucleotide encodes a MSF diat has at least 30%, preferably at least 50% and more preferably at least 70% of the activity of a natural MSF, under the same assay conditions.
  • fragment of MSF we include any fragment which retains activity or which is useful in some other way, for example, for use in raising antibodies or in a binding assay, but which is not a fragment of MSF which could also be a fragment of fibronectin.
  • fusion of MSF we include said MSF fused to any odier polypeptide.
  • the said protein kinase may be fused to a polypeptide such as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) or protein A in order to facilitate purification of MSF, or it may be fused to some other polypeptide which imparts some desirable characteristics on the MSF fusion. Fusions to any variant, fragment or derivative of MSF are also included in the scope of the invention.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a replicable vector comprising a recombinant polynucleotide encoding MSF, or a variant, fragment, derivative or fusion of MSF or a fusion of said variant, fragment or derivative.
  • a variety of methods have been developed to operably link polynucleotides, especially DNA, to vectors for example via complementary cohesive termini.
  • complementary homopolymer tracts can be added to die DNA segment to be inserted to die vector DNA.
  • the vector and DNA segment are dien joined by hydrogen bonding between die complementary homopolymeric tails to form recombinant DNA molecules.
  • Synthetic linkers containing one or more restriction sites provide an alternative method of joining the DNA segment to vectors.
  • the DNA segment generated by endonuclease restriction digestion as described earlier, is treated widi bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase or E. coli DNA polymerase I, enzymes that remove protruding, 3' -single-stranded termini widi dieir 3'-5'-exonucleolytic activities, and fill in recessed 3 '-ends with dieir polymerizing activities.
  • the combination of these activities dierefore generates blunt-ended DNA segments.
  • the blunt-ended segments are then incubated widi a large molar excess of linker molecules in the presence of an enzyme that is able to catalyze the ligation of blunt-ended DNA molecules, such as bacteriophage T4 DNA ligase.
  • an enzyme that is able to catalyze the ligation of blunt-ended DNA molecules, such as bacteriophage T4 DNA ligase.
  • the products of the reaction are DNA segments carrying polymeric linker sequences at their ends.
  • These DNA segments are men cleaved widi the appropriate restriction enzyme and ligated to an expression vector diat has been cleaved widi an enzyme that produces termini compatible with diose of the DNA segment.
  • Synmetic linkers containing a variety of restriction endonuclease sites are commercially available from a number of sources including International Biotechnologies Inc, New Haven, CN, USA.
  • a desirable way to modify die DNA encoding die polypeptide of the invention is to use the polymerase chain reaction as disclosed by Saiki et al (1988) Science 239, 487-491. This method may be used for introducing the DNA into a suitable vector, for example by engineering in suitable restriction sites, or it may be used to modify die DNA in other useful ways as is known in the art.
  • DNA to be enzymatically amplified is flanked by two specific primers which themselves become incorporated into the amplified DNA.
  • the said specific primers may contain restriction endonuclease recognition sites which can be used for cloning into expression vectors using methods known in the art.
  • RNA (or in me case of retroviral vectors, RNA) is then expressed in a suitable host to produce a polypeptide comprising the compound of the invention.
  • me DNA encoding die polypeptide constituting the compound of the invention may be used in accordance widi known techniques, appropriately modified in view of die teachings contained herein, to construct an expression vector, which is dien used to transform an appropriate host cell for the expression and production of the polypeptide of the invention.
  • Such techniques include diose disclosed in US Patent Nos.
  • the DNA (or in the case of retro viral vectors, RNA) encoding die polypeptide constituting the compound of the invention may be joined to a wide variety of other DNA sequences for introduction into an appropriate host.
  • the companion DNA will depend upon die nature of the host, die manner of the introduction of die DNA into die host, and whedier episomal maintenance or integration is desired.
  • die DNA is inserted into an expression vector, such as a plasmid, in proper orientation and correct reading frame for expression.
  • the DNA may be linked to die appropriate transcriptional and translational regulatory control nucleotide sequences recognised by die desired host, although such controls are generally available in die expression vector.
  • the vector is then introduced into die host tiirough standard techniques. Generally, not all of the hosts will be transformed by me vector. Therefore, it will be necessary to select for transformed host cells.
  • One selection technique involves incorporating into the expression vector a DNA sequence, widi any necessary control elements, mat codes for a selectable trait in the transformed cell, such as antibiotic resistance.
  • f-he gene for such selectable trait can be on anodier vector, which is used to co-transform the desired host cell.
  • Host cells that have been transformed by die recombinant DNA of the invention are then cultured for a sufficient time and under appropriate conditions known to tiiose skilled in die art in view of the teachings disclosed herein to permit the expression of die polypeptide, which can titien be recovered.
  • bacteria for example E. coli and Bacillus subtilis
  • yeasts for example Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  • filamentous fungi for example Aspergillus
  • plant cells animal cells and insect cells.
  • the vectors typically include a prokaryotic replicon, such as the ColEl ori, for propagation in a prokaryote, even if the vector is to be used for expression in other, non-prokaryotic, cell types.
  • the vectors can also include an appropriate promoter such as a prokaryotic promoter capable of directing die expression (transcription and translation) of the genes in a bacterial host cell, such as E. coli, transformed dierewith.
  • a promoter is an expression control element formed by a DNA sequence mat permits binding of RNA polymerase and transcription to occur.
  • Promoter sequences compatible with exemplary bacterial hosts are typically provided in plasmid vectors containing convenient restriction sites for insertion of a DNA segment of the present invention.
  • Typical prokaryotic vector plasmids are pUC18, pUC19, pBR322 and pBR329 available from Biorad Laboratories, (Richmond, CA, USA) and p?>c99A and pKK223-3 available from Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
  • a typical mammalian cell vector plasmid is pSVL available from Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ, USA. This vector uses the SV40 late promoter to drive expression of cloned genes, die highest level of expression being found in T antigen-producing cells, such as COS-1 cells.
  • an inducible mammalian expression vector is pMSG, also available from Pharmacia. This vector uses the glucocorticoid-inducible promoter of the mouse mammary tumour virus long terminal repeat to drive expression of the cloned gene.
  • Useful yeast plasmid vectors are pRS403-406 and pRS413-416 and are generally available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
  • Plasmids pRS403, pRS404, pRS405 and pRS406 are Yeast Integrating plasmids (Yips) and incorporate the yeast selectable markers HIS3, TRP1, LEU2 and URA3.
  • Plasmids pRS413-416 are Yeast Centromere plasmids (Ycps).
  • Odier vectors and expression systems are well known in the art for use wif-h a variety of host cells.
  • the present invention also relates to a host cell transformed widi a polynucleotide vector construct of the present invention.
  • the host cell can be eitiier prokaryotic or eukaryotic.
  • Bacterial cells are preferred prokaryotic host cells and typically are a strain of E. coli such as, for example, the E. coli strains DH5 available from Bethesda Research Laboratories Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA, and RR1 available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) of Rockville, MD, USA (No ATCC 31343).
  • Preferred eukaryotic host cells include yeast, insect and mammalian cells, preferably vertebrate cells such as those from a mouse, rat, monkey or human fibroblastic and kidney cell lines.
  • Yeast host cells include YPH499, YPH500 and YPH501 which are generally available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
  • Preferred mammalian host cells include Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells available from the ATCC as CCL61, NIH Swiss mouse embryo cells NIH/3T3 available from the ATCC as CRL 1658, monkey kidney-derived COS-1 cells available from the ATCC as CRL 1650 and 293 cells which are human embryonic kidney cells.
  • Preferred insect cells are Sf9 cells which can be transfected widi baculo virus expression vectors.
  • Transformation of appropriate cell hosts with a DNA construct of the present invention is accomplished by well known memods diat typically depend on die type of vector used. Widi regard to transformation of prokaryotic host cells, see, for example, Cohen et al (1972) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 69, 2110 and Sambrook et al (1989) Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Transformation of yeast cells is described in Sherman et al (1986) Methods In Yeast Genetics, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. The method of Beggs (1978) Nature 275, 104-109 is also useful.
  • reagents useful in transfecting such cells for example calcium phosphate and DEAE-dextran or liposome formulations, are available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, or Life Technologies Inc., Gaifhersburg, MD 20877, USA. Electroporation is also useful for transforming and/or transfecting cells and is well known in die art for transforming yeast cell, bacterial cells, insect cells and vertebrate cells.
  • bacterial species may be transformed by die methods described in Luchansky et al (1988) Mol. Microbiol. 2, 637-646 incorporated herein by reference. The greatest number of transformants is consistently recovered following electroporation of die DNA-cell mixture suspended in 2.5X PEB using 6250V per cm at 25 ⁇ FD.
  • Successfully transformed cells ie cells that contain a DNA construct of the present invention
  • cells resulting from me introduction of an expression construct of the present invention can be grown to produce the polypeptide of the invention.
  • Cells can be harvested and lysed and dieir DNA content examined for the presence of the DNA using a method such as diat described by Southern (1975) J. Mol. Biol. 98, 503 or Berent et al (1985) Biotech. 3, 208.
  • the presence of the protein in the supernatant can be detected using antibodies as described below.
  • successful transformation can be confirmed by well known immunological methods when the recombinant DNA is capable of directing the expression of the protein.
  • cells successfully transformed widi an expression vector produce proteins displaying appropriate antigenicity. Samples of cells suspected of being transformed are harvested and assayed for the protein using suitable antibodies.
  • the present invention also contemplates a culmre of those cells, preferably a monoclonal (clonally homogeneous) culture, or a culmre derived from a monoclonal culmre, in a nutrient medium.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a method of making MSF or a variant, derivative, fragment or fusion thereof or a fusion of a variant, fragment or derivative, die method comprising culturing a host cell comprising a recombinant polynucleotide or a replicable vector which encodes said MSF or variant or fragment or derivative or fusion, and isolating said MSF or a variant, derivative, fragment or fusion thereof of a fusion or a variant, fragment or derivative from said host cell.
  • MSF produced may differ from that which can be isolated from nature.
  • certain host cells such as yeast or bacterial cells, either do not have, or have different, post-translational modification systems which may result in die production of forms of MSF which may be post-translationally modified in a different why to MSF isolated from nature.
  • die host cell is a non-human host cell; move preferably it is not a mammalian cell.
  • diat recombinant MSF is produced in a eukaryotic system, such as an insect cell.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides MSF or a variant, fragment, derivative or fusion thereof or a fusion of a variant, fragment or derivative obtainable by die methods herein disclosed.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence
  • polypeptide of the invention includes
  • the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl ⁇ between positions 19 and 660, or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
  • diat die polypeptides of the invention are not fibronectin or fragments of fibronectin such as the gelatin binding domain.
  • the fragments and variants and derivatives are those mat include a portion or portions of MSF which are portions that distinguish MSF from fibronectin and which are described in more detail below and by reference to Figure 2.
  • the polypeptide of the invention is one which has migration stimulating factor activity.
  • antibodies which bind at least 10-fold more strongly to one polypeptide dian to the odier (ie MSF vs fibronectin); preferably at least 50-fold more strongly and more preferably at least 100- fold more strongly.
  • Such antibodies may be made by mediods well known in me art using me information concerning me differences in amino acid sequence between MSF and fibronectin disclosed herein.
  • the antibodies may be polyclonal or monoclonal.
  • Suitable monoclonal antibodies which are reactive as said may be prepared by known techniques, for example mose disclosed in “Monoclonal Antibodies: A manual of techniques” , H Zola (CRC Press, 1988) and in “Monoclonal Hybridoma Antibodies: Techniques and Applications", SGR Hurrell (CRC Press, 1982). Polyclonal antibodies may be produced which are poly specific or monospecific. It is preferred diat diey are monospecific.
  • a further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl ⁇ between positions 19 and 660 or namral variants thereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
  • a furdier embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards an epitope present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl ⁇ or natural variants thereof but which epitope is not present in fibronectin.
  • the antibody is reactive towards a molecule comprising any one of the peptides:
  • PCVLPFTYNDRTDSTTSNYEQDQ or TDHTVLVQTRGGNSNGALCH; or VGNGRGEWTCIAYSQLRDQCI which are found in MSF.
  • the underlined amino acid(s) indicate die difference between MSF and fibronectin.
  • peptides contain and flank regions of difference in amino acid sequence between MSF and fibronectin as shown in Figure 2 which are believed to be useful in distinguishing MSF and fibronectin using antibodies.
  • a further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl or namral variants mereof.
  • a further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl between positions 19 and 660 or namral variants thereof.
  • a further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards an epitope present in fibronectin but not present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
  • the antibody is reactive towards a molecule comprising any one of the peptides:
  • the underlined amino acid(s) indicate die difference between fibronectin and MSF.
  • These peptides diemselves may be useful for raising antibodies, but selective antibodies may be made using smaller fragments of these peptides which contain me region of difference between MSF and fibronectin.
  • a carrier function should be present in any immunogenic formulation in order to stimulate, or enhance stimulation of, the immune system. It is thought that die best carriers embody (or, together widi the antigen, create) a T-cell epitope.
  • the peptides may be associated, for example by cross-linking, widi a separate carrier, such as serum albumins, myoglobins, bacterial toxoids and keyhole limpet haemocyanin.
  • More recently developed carriers which induce T-cell help in the immune response include the hepatitis-B core antigen (also called die nucleocapsid protein), presumed T-cell epitopes such as Thr-Ala-Ser-Gly-Val-Ala-Glu-Thr-Thr-Asn-Cys, beta- galactosidase and tihe 163-171 peptide of interleukin-1.
  • the latter compound may variously be regarded as a carrier or as an adjuvant or as both.
  • several copies of the same or different peptides of the invention may be cross-linked to one anomer; in this simation diere is no separate carrier as such, but a carrier function may be provided by such cross-linking.
  • Suitable cross-linking agents include diose listed as such in the Sigma and Pierce catalogues, for example glutaraldehyde, carbodiimide and succinimidyl 4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-l- carboxy late, the latter agent exploiting the -SH group on the C-terminal cysteine residue (if present).
  • the peptide is prepared by expression of a suitable nucleotide sequence in a suitable host, dien it may be advantageous to express the peptide as a fusion product widi a peptide sequence which acts as a carrier. Kabigen's "Ecosec" system is an example of such an arrangement.
  • the antibodies of the invention are detectably labelled, for example they may be labelled in such a way that they may be directly or indirectly detected.
  • die antibodies are labelled with a radioactive moiety or a coloured moiety or a fluorescent moiety, or they may be linked to an enzyme.
  • the enzyme is one which can convert a non-coloured (or non-fluorescent) substrate to a coloured (or fluorescent) product.
  • the antibody may be labelled by biotin (or streptavidin) and then detected indirectly using streptavidin (or biotin) which has been labelled widi a radioactive moiety or a coloured moiety or a fluorescent moiety, or the like or they may be linked to an enzyme of the type described above.
  • peptides are made, based on me amino acid sequence of MSF and fibronectin, which allow for specific antibodies to be made.
  • a furdier aspect of the invention provides a molecule which is capable of, following immunisation of an animal if appropriate, giving rise to antibodies which are reactive towards die polypeptide whose sequence is
  • the molecule is preferably a peptide but may be any molecule which gives rise to the desired antibodies.
  • the molecule preferably a peptide, is conveniently formulated into an immunological composition using methods well known in the art.
  • Peptides may be syndiesised by die Fmoc-polyamide mode of solid-phase peptide syndiesis as disclosed by Lu et al (1981) /. Org. Chem. 46, 3433 and references therein. Temporary N-amino group protection is afforded by die 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) group. Repetitive cleavage of this highly base-labile protecting group is effected using 20% piperidine in N,N-dimethylformamide.
  • Side-chain functionalities may be protected as their butyl ethers (in die case of serine direonine and tyrosine), butyl esters (in die case of glutamic acid and aspartic acid), butyloxycarbonyl derivative (in the case of lysine and histidine), trityl derivative (in the case of cysteine) and 4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylbenzenesulphonyl derivative (in die case of arginine).
  • glutamine or asparagine are C-terminal residues, use is made of the 4,4'-dimethoxybenzhydryl group for protection of the side chain amido functionalities.
  • the solid-phase support is based on a polydimethyl-acrylamide polymer constituted from die tiiree monomers dimethylacrylamide (backbone-monomer), bisacryloylethylene diamine (cross linker) and acryloylsarcosine methyl ester (functionalising agent).
  • the peptide-to-resin cleavable linked agent used is die acid-labile 4-hydroxymethyl-phenoxyacetic acid derivative. All amino acid derivatives are added as dieir preformed symmetrical anhydride derivatives widi die exception of asparagine and glutamine, which are added using a reversed N,N-dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide/l- hydroxybenzotriazole mediated coupling procedure.
  • a still furtiher aspect of the invention provides a polynucleotide which is capable of hybridising to a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin but not a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
  • a yet still further aspect of the invention provides a polynucleotide which is capable of hybridising to a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
  • polynucleotides can be designed by reference to Figures 1 and 2 and die known sequence of fibronectin (Kornblihtt et al (1985) EMBO J.4, 1755-1759), and may be syndiesised by well known methods such as by chemical synmesis or by using specific primers and template, a DNA amplification technique such as die polymerase chain reaction.
  • the polynucleotide may be any polnucleotide, whether DNA or RNA or a syndietic nucleic acid such as a peptide nucleic acid, provided diat it can distinguish polynucleotides which encode MSF and fibronectin as said.
  • the polynucleotide is an oligonucleotide which can serve as a hybridisation probe or as a primer for a nucleic acid amplification system.
  • the polynucleotide of this aspect of the invention may be an oligonucleotide of at least 10 nucleotides in lengdi, more preferably at least 14 nucleotides in lengdi and still more preferably at least 18 nucleotides in lengdi.
  • diat die polynucleotide hybridises to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes MSF but does not hybridise to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes fibronectin.
  • die polynucleotide hybridises to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes fibronectin but does not hybridise to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes MSF.
  • the nucleotide sequence of MSF cDNA is disclosed herein and tihe nucleotide sequence of fibronectin is known (for example, see Kornblihtt et al (1985) EMBO J.4, 1755-1759).
  • the skilled person can readily design probes which can distinguish MSF and fibronectin mRNAs and cDNAs based on diis information. Differences between MSF and fibronectin include a 45 bp deletion from the first type II fibronectin repeat module in MSF, and die unique tail present in MSF.
  • a furtiher aspect of the invention provides a method of diagnosing cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample from the person to be diagnosed die presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
  • a still further aspect of the invention provides a method of determining susceptibility to cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample derived from the person to be tested die presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
  • a na ⁇ iral variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
  • a still further aspect of the invention provides a method of determining the likely outcome of a patient with cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample from the patient the presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
  • the reagent which can distinguish MSF from fibronectin is an antibody as disclosed herein.
  • antibodies to detect specific polypeptides in samples is well known. For example, they can be used in enzyme-linked immunosorbend assays (ELISA) or they may be used in histopadiological analysis. It is believed diat die presence of MSF indicates an elevated risk of cancer.
  • MSF may be conveniently measured in suitable body fluids such as serum or urine, or in extracts of tissue, or in the medium used to culmre patient derived cells in vitro. The measurement of MSF is believed to be useful in a number of cancers as discussed above. Antibodies may be used to detect MSF in tissue sections by immunolocalisation. Sub-populations of MSF-producing fibroblasts are present in the normal adult (Irwin et al (1994) J. Cell Science 107, 1333-1346; Schor et al (1994) pp 277-298 in Mammary Tumorigenesis and Malignant Progression, Dickson, R. and Lippman, M. (eds), 1994, Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  • MSF mRNA in a suitable sample or it may be desirable to detect any changes in the fibronectin gene which are associated widi die production of MSF. Mutations in the MSF cDNA or fibronectin gene may be detected using methods well known in the art.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a method of determining susceptibility to cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample derived from the person to be tested die presence of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
  • a namral variant or fragment mereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin.
  • a still further aspect of die invention provides a method of determining me likely outcome of a patient with cancer die method comprising detecting in a sample from the patient die presence of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
  • the reagent which can distinguish die polynucleotide encoding MSF from the polynucleotide encoding fibronectin is a suitable polynucleotide as disclosed herein.
  • Metiiods of detecting specific nucleic acids in a sample are well known in the art. For example, in situ hybridisation methods which detect mRNA may be used, and nor ⁇ iern blotting methods may be used. Dot blots, slot blots and Soudiern blots may also be used.
  • diat die reagents used in the above methods may be used in die manufacture of a reagent for diagnosing cancer.
  • diat die antibodies of the invention, and die polynucleotides of tihe invention which can distinguish MSF and fibronectin (particularly those which recognise MSF or a nucleic acid encoding MSF, but not fibronectin, or a nucleic acid encoding fibronectin) are useful packaged into diagnostic kits containing said antibodies or polynucleotides and odier reagents such as means for labelling the said antibodies or polynucleotides.
  • the invention also includes a number of therapeutic applications, for example chemoprevention and chemotherapy.
  • Chemoprevention includes die neutralisation of MSF activity and/or die suppression of inappropriate MSF expression in individuals deemed to be at risk of cancer due to inappropriate MSF production. It may also be desirable to administer inhibitors of MSF. Antibodies directed at MSF may act as inhibitors. Chemotherapy includes die use of anti-MSF antibodies to target coupled cytotoxins to sites of inappropriate MSF production, and die use of MSF inhibitors as mentioned above.
  • Antibody-targeted cytotoxins are well known in the art and include antibodies linked to a directly cytotoxic moiety such as ricin or a toxic drug; and antibodies linked to an indirectly cytotoxic moiety such as an enzyme which is able to convert a non-toxic prodrug into a toxic drug. In die latter case, die prodrug as well as die antibody-linked enzyme is administered to die patient.
  • MSF in wound fluids it is useful to measure MSF in wound fluids since mis information may be relevant in terms of predicting tihe efficiency of the subsequent healing process, including the propensity of the scar.
  • the amount of MSF in wound fluids may be measured using, for example, an MSF-selective antibody of the invention.
  • MSF may be a feature of several pathological conditions characterised by inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
  • the measurement of MSF in associated body fluid, such as synovial fluid, may be of clinical utility; other pathological conditions of relevance in this context include fibrotic and periodontal disease.
  • MSF is believed to be involved in die migration of cells, especially fibroblasts any, in particular, the migration of cells may take place within the wound.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a method of modulating cell migration the method comprising administering an effective amount of a polypeptide of the invention to the site where modulation of cell migration is required.
  • die cell whose migration is modulated is a fibroblast.
  • MSF stimulates the migration of cells such as fibroblasts.
  • the site where modulation of cell migration is required is a site widiin a mammalian body, such as die body of a horse, pig, cow, sheep, cat, dog and die like. Most preferably it is a site within a human body. It is preferred if the site within die body is die site of a wound.
  • a further aspect of the invention provides a method of healing a wound die method comprising administering to die locality of the wound an effective amount of a polypeptide of the invention.
  • the invention also includes a method of preventing scarring by administering to me locality of the site where scarring is believed to be likely an effective amount of an MSF polypeptide as described herein or a suitable fragment or variant. Preventing or reducing scarring may be part of the wound-healing process.
  • the MSF polypeptide as described herein or a suitable fragment or variant is believed to be useful in preventing or reducing scarring because it reduces hyaluronic acid formation.
  • polypeptide administered is a recombinant polypeptide expressed in a eukaryotic host.
  • the MSF polypeptide may be administered to the site of cell migration or wound healing by any suitable means. Conveniently, the polypeptide is administered topically. It is particularly preferred if the polypeptide is incorporated widiin an applied wound dressing such as a collagen mesh. Dressings which are suitable for the incorporation of the polypeptide of the invention are well known in die art and many are commercially available.
  • the formulations may conveniently be presented in unit dosage form and may be prepared by any of the methods well known in the art of pharmacy. Such methods include me step of bringing into association me active ingredient (polypeptide of the invention) with the carrier which constitutes one or more accessory ingredients.
  • me active ingredient polypeptide of the invention
  • carrier which constitutes one or more accessory ingredients.
  • die formulations are prepared by uniformly and intimately bringing into association die active ingredient widi liquid carriers or finely divided solid carriers or botih, and dien, if necessary, shaping me product.
  • Formulations in accordance widi die present invention suitable for oral administration may be presented as discrete units such as capsules, cachets or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient; as a powder or granules; as a solution or a suspension in an aqueous liquid or a non-aqueous liquid; or as an oil-in-water liquid emulsion or a water-in-oil liquid emulsion.
  • the active ingredient may also be presented as a bolus, electuary or paste.
  • Formulations suitable for topical administration in die mourn include lozenges comprising the active ingredient in a flavoured basis, usually sucrose and acacia or tragacanth; pastilles comprising the active ingredient in an inert basis such as gelatin and glycerin, or sucrose and acacia; and mouth-washes comprising die active ingredient in a suitable liquid carrier.
  • die formulations of this invention may include other agents conventional in the art having regard to die type of formulation in question, for example those suitable for oral administration may include flavouring agents.
  • suitable amount of the polypeptide of the invention may be administered.
  • suitable amount we mean an amount which gives e desired biological response and that does not lead to any significantly undesirable effects such as toxicity or the like.
  • Small quantities of MSF for example less than 1 ⁇ g, may be effective. It is preferred if superficial wounds, such as diose to the skin, are treated by tihe method of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows me entire nucleotide sequence of the 2.1kb insert in clone pMSFl ⁇ which contains the MSF cDNA. The start and stop codons are underlined.
  • Figure 2 shows die translation of the cDNA sequence shown in Figure 1 and die alignment of the peptide sequence with diat of the gelatin-binding domain of fibronectin.
  • the start and end of the MSF polypeptide are indicated by vertical bars and arrows.
  • Figure 3 shows the peptide sequence of MSF (as encoded in the pMSFl ⁇ clone) according to its domains.
  • the sequence of pMSFl ⁇ is shown grouped according to its domains (cf analysis of fibronectin from Korablihtt et al (1985) EMBO J. 4, 1755-1759). Residues are numbered and have been aligned to give optimal homology by introducing gaps (indicated by ⁇ ). Identical residues widiin a type of homology are indicated by a box (A), and stop codons are designated by asterisks (*). Deleted amino acids are indicated by dashed lines (-), and die IGDS sequence is underlined.
  • Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic comparison of fibronectin and MSF.
  • Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic model of MSF showing tihe positions of die IGD-containing sequences (ie. IGDT, IGDS and IGDQ) widiin die domains.
  • a cDNA library was constructed using mRNA extracted from a human foetal fibroblast cell line, MRC5-SV2, in die vector ⁇ ZapII.
  • a primer based on peptide sequence from the gelatin-binding domain (GBD) of fibronectin was used together with a vector primer in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a fragment of 1.2kb. Sequence analysis showed a strong homology to GBD for most of the fragment. Clear differences included an internal deletion of 45bp, and a 3' unique sequence of 175bp.
  • the 3' unique sequence was used as a probe for screening the library, using the digoxigenin-labelled system. Positive plaques were picked for further analysis by secondary and tertiary screening, followed by in vivo excision of die pBluescriptTM phagemid containing me cloned insert.
  • a plasmid containing an insert of 2.1kb, named pMSFl ⁇ was sequenced by die Sanger-dideoxy method, using a progressive priming approach, and die sequence was assembled into a single contain using the Fragment Assembly System of the Daresbury/Seqnet series of programs.
  • Figure 3 shows the peptide sequence of pMSF-l ⁇ grouped according to its domains.
  • Odier cDNA clones encoding MSF may be readily obtained and sequenced using mediods well known in the art and probe derived from the Figure 1 sequence, in particular probes which distinguish MSF from fibronectin.
  • Example 2 Demonstration of the presence of MSF-secreting fibroblasts in sections of breast cancer, but not normal breast tissue
  • In situ hybridisation using a riboprobe based on die unique coding region for the unique C-terminus of MSF demonstrates the presence of MSF- secreting fibroblasts in sections of breast cancer, but not normal breast tissue.
  • Suitable riboprobes contain me entire unique nucleotide sequence of MSF- l ⁇ (position 1953-2147), and may include up to 10 bases upstream and contained widiin die fibronectin sequence (position 1943-2152). This ensures high specificity towards MSF-l ⁇ , whilst allowing die use of a probe of longer lengdi.
  • a digoxigenin-labelled riboprobe containing a major portion of the unique sequence is used. This region was selected on the basis of the position of convenient restriction sites.
  • Example 3 Monoclonal antibodies which are specific to MSF and do not cross-react with fibronectin
  • the i-mmunogen is a syndietic peptide based on die 10 amino acid unique tail of MSF or is based on die peptide sequences:
  • clone B3(2) is 20 kb and can generate both die 5' and 3' fragments, ereby indicating diat it contains the entire MSF genomic sequence.
  • the odier clone, K5(5) is 7 kb and only contains tihe 3 ' unique sequence.
  • 3T3 cells were transfected using me Lipfectamine/Plus system (Gibco), according to tihe manufacmrer's instructions.
  • the plasmid used was pcDNA3.1/hisB/lacZ.
  • the insert sequence contained a sequence encoding a his tail fused to die human MSF cDNA sequence so mat a fusion protein with a his tail is expressed. This facilitates purification of die expressed protein.
  • Transfectants were isolated by tiheir selective growth in medium containing 418. One liter of conditioned medium produced by die transfected cells was collected and die fraction containing all me migration stimulating activity obtained by doing a 0-20% ammonium sulphate precipitation.
  • the pellet was resuspended in buffer and die .to-tagged rhMSF purified by passage dirough a ProBond column (Invitrogen) column, all done in accordance widi manufacmrer's instructions. Approximately 250 ⁇ g of rhMSF were collected from the starting material. The purified protein resulted in a single band of approximately 70 kDa in SDS PAGE. This protein stimulated die migration of target adult fibroblasts and was active at concentrations between 1 pg/ml to 10 ng/ml (ie in precise agreement widi previously published data regarding die dose-response of MSF purified from fetal fibroblast conditioned medium).
  • Rabbits were immunised widi a 15-mer synthetic peptide based on die C-terminus of MSF: note, this contains die entire 10 amino acid unique sequence and die contiguous 5 amino sequence of fibronectin.
  • the syndietic peptide was coupled to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) carrier and used to immunise two rabbits with tihe following protocol: first injection of 10 mg and second injection of 5 mg three weeks later. Serum was collected six weeks after the first injection and purified IgG shown to recognise the syntihetic peptide in both dot and Western blots.
  • KLH keyhole limpet haemocyanin
  • Polyclonal antibodies were generated against a syndietic peptide incorporating the 10 amino acid "unique" MSF C-terminal sequence. This antibody recognises die unique synthetic peptide (down to 5 ng) and MSF (down to 10 ng) in dot blots; it does not recognise fibronectin or BSA at concentrations up to 4 ⁇ g. This antibody has been used to investigate die tissue distribution of MSF; these experiments show that MSF is present in die stromal compartment of fetal skin and is not detectable in adult skin.

Abstract

A recombinant polynucleotide encoding migrating stimulating factor (MSF) or variants or fragments or derivatives or fusions thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives. Reagents are disclosed which can distinguish MSF and fibronectin, and which can distinguish polynucleotides which encode MSF or fibronectin. These reagents are believed to be useful in, for example, diagnosing cancer. MSF or variants or fragments or derivatives or fusions thereof, or fusions of said variants or fusions or derivatives, are useful in modulating cell migration and in wound healing.

Description

POLYPEPTIDES, POLYNUCLEOTIDES AND USES THEREOF
The present invention relates to polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof and in particular to migration stimulating factor (MSF).
MSF has been described previously in the following papers. Schor et al (1988) /. Cell Sci. 90: 391-399 shows that foetal and cancer patient fibroblasts produce an autocrine migration stimulating factor not made by normal adult cells. Schor et al (1988) /. Cell Sci. 90: 401-407, shows that fibroblasts from cancer patients display a mixture of both foetal and adult phenotypic characteristics. Schor et al (1989) In Vitro 25: 737-746 describes a mechanism of action of the migration stimulating factor (MSF) produced by fetal and cancer patient fibroblasts and its effect on hyaluronic acid synthesis. Grey et al (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 86: 2438-2442 describes the purification of the migration stimulating factor produced by fetal and cancer patient fibroblasts but no amino acid sequence information is given. It is suggested that MSF has a molecular weight of 70kDa. Schor & Schor (1990) Cancer Investig. 8: 665-667 describes die characterisation of migration stimulating activity (MSF) and gives evidence for its role in cancer pathogenesis. Picardo et al (1991) Lancet 337: 130-133 describes the presence of migration stimulating activity in the serum of breast cancer patients. Ellis et al (1992) J. Cell Sci. 102: 447-456 describes the antagonistic effects of transforming growth factor-βl and MSF on fibroblast migration and hyaluronic acid synthesis and discusses the possible implications for wound healing. Picardo et al (1992) Exp. Mol. Path. 57: 8-21, describes the identification of migration stimulating factor in wound fluid. Irwin et al (1994) J. Cell Sci. 107: 1333-1346, describes the inter- and intra-site heterogeneity in the expression of fetal-like phenotypic characteristics by gingival fibroblasts and discusses the potential significance for wound healing. Schor et al (1994) Int J Cancer. 59: 25-32 describes the phenotypic heterogeneity in breast fibroblasts and discusses functional anomaly in fibroblasts from histologically normal tissue adjacent to carcinoma. Schor et al (1991) In: Cell Motility Factors (ed. I Goldberg) pp. 127-146, Birkhauser Press, Basel, describes the heterogeneity amongst fibroblasts in the production of migration stimulating factor (MSF) and discusses implications for cancer pathogenesis. Schor et al (1993) In: Cell behaviour: Adhesion and Motility. (ed. G. Evans, C. Wigley and R. Warn) Society for Experimental Biology Symposium No. 47, pp. 234-251, describes the potential structural homology of MSF to the gelatin-binding domain of fibronectin its potential mode of action and possible function in health and disease. A small amount of partial amino acid sequence is given, but this sequence is similar to fibronectin and, in fact, is not present in the MSF which has now been cloned and sequenced in the present work (see below). It is suggested that MSF activity isolated from foetal fibroblast conditioned medium consists of three proteins, one with an apparent molecular weight of 119kDa and a double of 43 and 33kDa, and, indeed, it was suggested that MSF could be a proteotytic degradation product of fibronectin. Schor (1995) In: Epithelial Mesenchymal Interactions in Cancer (eg. I Goldberg and E Rosen), pp. 273-296. Birkhauser Press, Basel, describes fibroblast subpopulations as accelerators of tumor progression and the potential role of migration stimulating factor. MSF is also discussed in Schor et al (1994) In: Mammary Tumorigenesis and Malignant Progression, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dickson, R. and Lippman, M. (eds).
Thus, MSF is believed to be produced by fibroblasts obtained from a majority of breast cancer patients and is not made by their normal adult counterparts. It is believed diat measuring the levels of MSF, for example, in circulating blood or in serum or in urine, may be useful in identifying patients who have or are susceptible to cancer, or that it may be useful in prognosing the outcome of cancer. MSF producing fibroblasts are present in patients with a number of common epithelial tumours, such as carcinoma of the breast, lung and colon, as well as melanoma, and soft tissue sarcoma.
It is believed that it may be particularly useful to measure the levels of MSF in identifying patients who have or are susceptible to breast cancer, or in prognosing the outcome of breast cancer.
In addition, it is believed that MSF may be useful in wound healing since it is present in a majority of wound fluid samples. The directed migration of fibroblasts into the wound site and the transient increase in hyaluronic acid in granulation tissue during die wound healing response are both consistent with the involvement of MSF. (MSF stimulates the synthesis of a high molecular weight species of hyaluronic acid).
MSF is known to be related to fibronectin since certain antibodies raised to MSF also bind to fibronectin.
Fibronectin is a widely distributed glycoprotein present at high concentrations in most extracellular matrices, in plasma (300 μg/ml), and in odier body fluids. Fibronectin is a prominent adhesive protein and mediates various aspects of cellular interactions with extracellular matrices including migration. Its principal functions appear to be in cellular migration during development and wound healing, regulation of cell growth and differentiation, and haemostasis/thrombosis. Further progress in understanding MSF was hindered by the fact that it has not been clear whether MSF is a degradation or breakdown product of fibronectin, and because MSF appears to be structurally related to fibronectin.
We have now discovered that MSF is not a breakdown product of fibronectin but that it appears, quite unexpectedly, to be a "mini" splice variant of fibronectin. The amino acid sequence of MSF, disclosed for the first time herein, reveals unexpected regions of dissimilarity with fibronectin. This has led to previously unavailable methods of measuring, identifying and localising MSF becoming available. The availability of a polymicleotide encoding MSF, disclosed for the first time herein, makes available methods for producing MSF and useful variants thereof, and makes available new methods of specifically identifying, measuring and localising MSF.
A first aspect of the invention provides a recombinant polymicleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K s K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F c P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R w K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G v R Y Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof, or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
Figure 2 shows the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA insert in pMSFlα which contains the coding sequence for human migration stimulating factor (MSF). Preferably the amino acid sequence is based on diat between the most N-terminal methionine and die most C-terminal stop codon (which are marked X). Thus, it is preferred if the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide comprising die amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFlα between positions 19 and 660 (ie. starting MLRGPG... as marked and encoding ...LGY as marked), or variants of fragments or fusions or derivatives diereof or fusions of said variants or fragments.
Throughout the specification where the term MSF is used, and the context does not indicate odierwise, it includes a polypeptide which has an amino acid sequence given in Figure 2 labelled pMSFlα and, in particular, the amino acid sequence given between positions 19 and 660.
Amino acid residues are given in standard single letter code or standard tiiree letter code throughout the specification.
It will be appreciated diat the recombinant polynucleotides of the invention are not polynucleotides which encode fibronectin or fragments of fibronectin such as the gelatin binding domain. Preferably, the fragments and variants and derivatives are ose that include a polynucleotide which encodes a portion or portions of MSF which are portions that distinguish MSF from fibronectin and which are described in more detail below and by reference to Figure 2.
The polynucleotide may be DNA or RNA but it is preferred if it is DNA. The polynucleotide may or may not contain introns. It is preferred that it does not contain introns and it is particularly preferred if the polynucleotide is a cDNA.
A polynucleotide of the invention is one which comprises the polynucleotide whose sequence is given in Figure 1. Thus, a polynucleotide of the invention includes die sequence
CAAACTTGGT GGCAACTTGC CTCCCGGTGC GGGCGTCTCT CCCCCACCGT CTCAACATGC TTAGGGGTCC GGGGCCCGGG CTGCTGCTGC TGGCCGTCCA GTGCCTGGGG ACAGCGGTGC CCTCCACGGG AGCCTCGAAG AGCAAGAGGC AGGCTCAGCA AATGGTTCAG CCCCAGTCCC CGGTGGCTGT CAGTCAAAGC AAGCCCGGTT GTTATGACAA TGGAAAACAC TATCAGATAA ATCAACAGTG GGAGCGGACC TACCTAGGCA ATGCGTTGGT TTGTACTTGT TATGGAGGAA GCCGAGGTTT TAACTGCGAG AGTAAACCTG AAGCTGAAGA GACTTGCTTT GACAAGTACA CTGGGAACAC TTACCGAGTG GGTGACACTT ATGAGCGTCC TAAAGACTCC ATGATCTGGG ACTGTACCTG CATCGGGGCT GGGCGAGGGA GAATAAGCTG TACCATCGCA AACCGCTGCC ATGAAGGGGG TCAGTCCTAC AAGATTGGTG ACACCTGGAG GAGACCACAT GAGACTGGTG GTTACATGTT AGAGTGTGTG TGTCTTGGTA ATGGAAAAGG AGAATGGACC TGCAAGCCCA TAGCTGAGAA GTGTTTTGAT CATGCTGCTG GGACTTCCTA TGTGGTCGGA GAAACGTGGG AGAAGCCCTA CCAAGGCTGG ATGATGGTAG ATTGTACTTG CCTGGGAGAA GGCAGCGGAC GCATCACTTG CACTTCTAGA AATAGATGCA ACGATCAGGA CACAAGGACA TCCTATAGAA TTGGAGACAC CTGGAGCAAG AAGGATAATC GAGGAAACCT GCTCCAGTGC ATCTGCACAG GCAACGGCCG AGGAGAGTGG AAGTGTGAGA GGCACACCTC TGTGCAGACC ACATCGAGCG GATCTGGCCC CTTCACCGAT GTTCGTGCAG CTGTTTACCA ACCGCAGCCT CACCCCCAGC CTCCTCCCTA TGGCCACTGT GTCACAGACA GTGGTGTGGT CTACTCTGTG GGGATGCAGT GGCTGAAGAC ACAAGGAAAT AAGCAAATGC TTTGCACGTG CCTGGGCAAC GGAGTCAGCT GCCAAGAGAC AGCTGTAACC CAGACTTACG GTGGCAACTC AAATGGAGAG CCATGTGTCT TACCATTCAC CTACAACGAC AGGACGGACA GCACAACTTC GAATTATGAG CAGGACCAGA AATACTCTTT CTGCACAGAC CACACTGTTT TGGTTCAGAC TCGAGGAGGA AATTCCAATG GTGCCTTGTG CCACTTCCCC TTCCTATACA ACAACCACAA TTACACTGAT TGCACTTCTG AGGGCAGAAG AGACAACATG AAGTGGTGTG GGACCACACA GAACTATGAT GCCGACCAGA AGTTTGGGTT CTGCCCCATG GCTGCCCACG AGGAAATCTG CACAACCAAT GAAGGGGTCA TGTACCGCAT TGGAGATCAG TGGGATAAGC AGCATGACAT GGGTCACATG ATGAGGTGCA CGTGTGTTGG GAATGGTCGT GGGGAATGGA CATGCATTGC CTACTCGCAG CTTCGAGATC AGTGCATTGT TGATGACATC ACTTACAATG TGAACGACAC ATTCCACAAG CGTCATGAAG AGGGGCACAT GCTGAACTGT ACATGCTTCG
GTCAGGGTCG GGGCAGGTGG AAGTGTGATC CCGTCGACCA ATGCCAGGAT
TCAGAGACTG GGACGTTTTA TCAAATTGGA GATTCATGGG AGAAGTATGT
GCATGGTGTC AGATACCAGT GCTACTGCTA TGGCCGTGGC ATTGGGGAGT GGCATTGCCA ACCTTTACAG ACCTATCCAA GCTCAAGTGG TCCTGTCGAA
GTATTTATCA CTGAGACTCC GAGTCAGCCC AACTCCCACC CCATCCAGTG
GAATGCACCA CAGCCATCTC ACATTTCCAA GTACATTCTC AGGTGGAGAC
CTGTGAGTAT CCCACCCAGA AACCTTGGAT ACTGAGTCTC CTAATCTTAT
CAATTCTGAT GGTTTCTTTT TTTCCCAGCT TTTGAGCCAA CAACTCTGAT TAACTATTCC TATAGCATTT ACTATATTTG TTTAGTGAAC AAACAATATG
TGGTCAATTA AATTGACTTG TAGACTGAAA AAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAA
It is particularly preferred if the polynucleotide of the invention is one which comprises the polynucleotide whose sequence is given between positions 57 and 1982 in Figure 1 since this is believed to be die coding sequence for human MSF.
The invention includes a polynucleotide comprising a fragment of me recombinant polynucleotide of die first aspect of the invention. Preferably, the polynucleotide comprises a fragment which is at least 10 nucleotides in length, more preferably at least 14 nucleotides in length and still more preferably at least 18 nucleotides in length. Such polynucleotides are useful as PCR primers.
A "variation" of the polynucleotide includes one which is (i) usable to produce a protein or a fragment thereof which is in turn usable to prepare antibodies which specifically bind to d e protein encoded by die said polynucleotide or (ii) an antisense sequence corresponding to me polynucleotide or to a variation of type (i) as just defined. For example, different codons can be substituted which code for the same amino acid(s) as die original codons. Alternatively, die substitute codons may code for a different amino acid diat will not affect me activity or immunogenicity of the protein or which may improve or omerwise modulate its activity or immunogenicity. For example, site-directed mutagenesis or o ier techniques can be employed to create single or multiple mutations, such as replacements, insertions, deletions, and transpositions, as described in Botstein and Shortle, "Strategies and Applications of In Vitro Mutagenesis," Science, 229: 193-210 (1985), which is incoφorated herein by reference. Since such modified polynucleotides can be obtained by die application of known techniques to me teachings contained herein, such modified polynucleotides are widiin the scope of the claimed invention.
Moreover, it will be recognised by tiiose skilled in the art that die polynucleotide sequence (or fragments thereof) of the invention can be used to obtain odier polynucleotide sequences diat hybridise with it under conditions of high stringency. Such polynucleotides includes any genomic DNA. Accordingly, die polynucleotide of the invention includes polynucleotide mat shows at least 55 per cent, preferably 60 per cent, and more preferably at least 70 per cent and most preferably at least 90 per cent homology with die polynucleotide identified in the method of the invention, provided that such homologous polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide which is usable in at least some of the memods described below or is otherwise useful. It is particularly preferred that in diis embodiment, the polynucleotide is one which encodes a polypeptide containing a portion or portions mat distinguish MSF from fibronectin.
It is believed mat MSF is found in mammals other than human. The present invention merefore includes polynucleotides which encode MSF from other mammalian species including rat, mouse, cow, pig, sheep, rabbit and so on. Per cent homology can be determined by, for example, the GAP program of the University of Wisconsin Genetic Computer Group.
DNA-DNA, DNA-RNA and RNA-RNA hybridisation may be performed in aqueous solution containing between 0.1XSSC and 6XSSC and at temperatures of between 55 °C and 70 °C. It is well known in die art diat die higher the temperature or the lower die SSC concentration the more stringent die hybridisation conditions. By "high stringency" we mean 2XSSC and 65°C. 1XSSC is 0.15M NaCl/0.015M sodium citrate. Polynucleotides which hybridise at high stringency are included within me scope of the claimed invention.
"Variations" of the polynucleotide also include polynucleotide in which relatively short stretches (for example 20 to 50 nucleotides) have a high degree of homology (at least 80% and preferably at least 90 or 95%) widi equivalent stretches of the polynucleotide of the invention even though the overall homology between die two polynucleotides may be much less. This is because important active or binding sites may be shared even when die general architecture of the protein is different.
By "variants" of the polypeptide we include insertions, deletions and substitutions, eidier conservative or non-conservative, where such changes do not substantially alter the activity of me said MSF.
Variants and variations of the polynucleotide and polypeptide include natural variants, including allelic variants and naturally-occurring mutant forms. MSF may be assessed in bioassays based on its stimulation of adult skin fibroblast migration, for example, as is described in Picardo et al (1991) The Lancet 337, 130-133. Specificity for MSF may be inferred by neutralisation of migration stimulating activity by anti-MSF polyclonal antibodies (as herein disclosed). MSF may also be assayed using immunological techniques such as ELISA and die like.
By "conservative substitutions" is intended combinations such as Gly, Ala; Val, He, Leu; Asp, Glu; Asn, Gin; Ser, Thr; Lys, Arg; and Phe, Tyr.
Such variants may be made using the metiiods of protein engineering and site-directed mutagenesis well known in the art.
Preferably, die variant or variation of the polynucleotide encodes a MSF diat has at least 30%, preferably at least 50% and more preferably at least 70% of the activity of a natural MSF, under the same assay conditions.
By "fragment of MSF" we include any fragment which retains activity or which is useful in some other way, for example, for use in raising antibodies or in a binding assay, but which is not a fragment of MSF which could also be a fragment of fibronectin.
By "fusion of MSF" we include said MSF fused to any odier polypeptide. For example, the said protein kinase may be fused to a polypeptide such as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) or protein A in order to facilitate purification of MSF, or it may be fused to some other polypeptide which imparts some desirable characteristics on the MSF fusion. Fusions to any variant, fragment or derivative of MSF are also included in the scope of the invention.
A further aspect of the invention provides a replicable vector comprising a recombinant polynucleotide encoding MSF, or a variant, fragment, derivative or fusion of MSF or a fusion of said variant, fragment or derivative.
A variety of methods have been developed to operably link polynucleotides, especially DNA, to vectors for example via complementary cohesive termini. For instance, complementary homopolymer tracts can be added to die DNA segment to be inserted to die vector DNA. The vector and DNA segment are dien joined by hydrogen bonding between die complementary homopolymeric tails to form recombinant DNA molecules.
Synthetic linkers containing one or more restriction sites provide an alternative method of joining the DNA segment to vectors. The DNA segment, generated by endonuclease restriction digestion as described earlier, is treated widi bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase or E. coli DNA polymerase I, enzymes that remove protruding, 3' -single-stranded termini widi dieir 3'-5'-exonucleolytic activities, and fill in recessed 3 '-ends with dieir polymerizing activities.
The combination of these activities dierefore generates blunt-ended DNA segments. The blunt-ended segments are then incubated widi a large molar excess of linker molecules in the presence of an enzyme that is able to catalyze the ligation of blunt-ended DNA molecules, such as bacteriophage T4 DNA ligase. Thus, the products of the reaction are DNA segments carrying polymeric linker sequences at their ends. These DNA segments are men cleaved widi the appropriate restriction enzyme and ligated to an expression vector diat has been cleaved widi an enzyme that produces termini compatible with diose of the DNA segment.
Synmetic linkers containing a variety of restriction endonuclease sites are commercially available from a number of sources including International Biotechnologies Inc, New Haven, CN, USA.
A desirable way to modify die DNA encoding die polypeptide of the invention is to use the polymerase chain reaction as disclosed by Saiki et al (1988) Science 239, 487-491. This method may be used for introducing the DNA into a suitable vector, for example by engineering in suitable restriction sites, or it may be used to modify die DNA in other useful ways as is known in the art.
In this method die DNA to be enzymatically amplified is flanked by two specific primers which themselves become incorporated into the amplified DNA. The said specific primers may contain restriction endonuclease recognition sites which can be used for cloning into expression vectors using methods known in the art.
The DNA (or in me case of retroviral vectors, RNA) is then expressed in a suitable host to produce a polypeptide comprising the compound of the invention. Thus, me DNA encoding die polypeptide constituting the compound of the invention may be used in accordance widi known techniques, appropriately modified in view of die teachings contained herein, to construct an expression vector, which is dien used to transform an appropriate host cell for the expression and production of the polypeptide of the invention. Such techniques include diose disclosed in US Patent Nos. 4,440,859 issued 3 April 1984 to Rutter et al, 4,530,901 issued 23 July 1985 to Weissman, 4,582,800 issued 15 April 1986 to Crowl, 4,677,063 issued 30 June 1987 to Mark et al, 4,678,751 issued 7 July 1987 to Goeddel, 4,704,362 issued 3 November 1987 to Itakura et al, 4,710,463 issued 1 December 1987 to Murray, 4,757,006 issued 12 July 1988 to Toole, Jr. et al, 4,766,075 issued 23 August 1988 to Goeddel et al and 4,810,648 issued 7 March 1989 to Stalker, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The DNA (or in the case of retro viral vectors, RNA) encoding die polypeptide constituting the compound of the invention may be joined to a wide variety of other DNA sequences for introduction into an appropriate host. The companion DNA will depend upon die nature of the host, die manner of the introduction of die DNA into die host, and whedier episomal maintenance or integration is desired.
Generally, die DNA is inserted into an expression vector, such as a plasmid, in proper orientation and correct reading frame for expression. If necessary, the DNA may be linked to die appropriate transcriptional and translational regulatory control nucleotide sequences recognised by die desired host, although such controls are generally available in die expression vector. The vector is then introduced into die host tiirough standard techniques. Generally, not all of the hosts will be transformed by me vector. Therefore, it will be necessary to select for transformed host cells. One selection technique involves incorporating into the expression vector a DNA sequence, widi any necessary control elements, mat codes for a selectable trait in the transformed cell, such as antibiotic resistance. Alternatively, f-he gene for such selectable trait can be on anodier vector, which is used to co-transform the desired host cell.
Host cells that have been transformed by die recombinant DNA of the invention are then cultured for a sufficient time and under appropriate conditions known to tiiose skilled in die art in view of the teachings disclosed herein to permit the expression of die polypeptide, which can titien be recovered.
Many expression systems are known, including bacteria (for example E. coli and Bacillus subtilis), yeasts (for example Saccharomyces cerevisiae), filamentous fungi (for example Aspergillus), plant cells, animal cells and insect cells.
The vectors typically include a prokaryotic replicon, such as the ColEl ori, for propagation in a prokaryote, even if the vector is to be used for expression in other, non-prokaryotic, cell types. The vectors can also include an appropriate promoter such as a prokaryotic promoter capable of directing die expression (transcription and translation) of the genes in a bacterial host cell, such as E. coli, transformed dierewith.
A promoter is an expression control element formed by a DNA sequence mat permits binding of RNA polymerase and transcription to occur. Promoter sequences compatible with exemplary bacterial hosts are typically provided in plasmid vectors containing convenient restriction sites for insertion of a DNA segment of the present invention. Typical prokaryotic vector plasmids are pUC18, pUC19, pBR322 and pBR329 available from Biorad Laboratories, (Richmond, CA, USA) and p?>c99A and pKK223-3 available from Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
A typical mammalian cell vector plasmid is pSVL available from Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ, USA. This vector uses the SV40 late promoter to drive expression of cloned genes, die highest level of expression being found in T antigen-producing cells, such as COS-1 cells.
An example of an inducible mammalian expression vector is pMSG, also available from Pharmacia. This vector uses the glucocorticoid-inducible promoter of the mouse mammary tumour virus long terminal repeat to drive expression of the cloned gene.
Useful yeast plasmid vectors are pRS403-406 and pRS413-416 and are generally available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Plasmids pRS403, pRS404, pRS405 and pRS406 are Yeast Integrating plasmids (Yips) and incorporate the yeast selectable markers HIS3, TRP1, LEU2 and URA3. Plasmids pRS413-416 are Yeast Centromere plasmids (Ycps).
Odier vectors and expression systems are well known in the art for use wif-h a variety of host cells.
The present invention also relates to a host cell transformed widi a polynucleotide vector construct of the present invention. The host cell can be eitiier prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Bacterial cells are preferred prokaryotic host cells and typically are a strain of E. coli such as, for example, the E. coli strains DH5 available from Bethesda Research Laboratories Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA, and RR1 available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) of Rockville, MD, USA (No ATCC 31343). Preferred eukaryotic host cells include yeast, insect and mammalian cells, preferably vertebrate cells such as those from a mouse, rat, monkey or human fibroblastic and kidney cell lines. Yeast host cells include YPH499, YPH500 and YPH501 which are generally available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Preferred mammalian host cells include Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells available from the ATCC as CCL61, NIH Swiss mouse embryo cells NIH/3T3 available from the ATCC as CRL 1658, monkey kidney-derived COS-1 cells available from the ATCC as CRL 1650 and 293 cells which are human embryonic kidney cells. Preferred insect cells are Sf9 cells which can be transfected widi baculo virus expression vectors.
Transformation of appropriate cell hosts with a DNA construct of the present invention is accomplished by well known memods diat typically depend on die type of vector used. Widi regard to transformation of prokaryotic host cells, see, for example, Cohen et al (1972) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 69, 2110 and Sambrook et al (1989) Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Transformation of yeast cells is described in Sherman et al (1986) Methods In Yeast Genetics, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. The method of Beggs (1978) Nature 275, 104-109 is also useful. With regard to vertebrate cells, reagents useful in transfecting such cells, for example calcium phosphate and DEAE-dextran or liposome formulations, are available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, or Life Technologies Inc., Gaifhersburg, MD 20877, USA. Electroporation is also useful for transforming and/or transfecting cells and is well known in die art for transforming yeast cell, bacterial cells, insect cells and vertebrate cells.
For example, many bacterial species may be transformed by die methods described in Luchansky et al (1988) Mol. Microbiol. 2, 637-646 incorporated herein by reference. The greatest number of transformants is consistently recovered following electroporation of die DNA-cell mixture suspended in 2.5X PEB using 6250V per cm at 25μFD.
Methods for transformation of yeast by electroporation are disclosed in Becker & Guarente (1990) Methods Enzymol. 194, 182.
Successfully transformed cells, ie cells that contain a DNA construct of the present invention, can be identified by well known techniques. For example, cells resulting from me introduction of an expression construct of the present invention can be grown to produce the polypeptide of the invention. Cells can be harvested and lysed and dieir DNA content examined for the presence of the DNA using a method such as diat described by Southern (1975) J. Mol. Biol. 98, 503 or Berent et al (1985) Biotech. 3, 208. Alternatively, the presence of the protein in the supernatant can be detected using antibodies as described below.
In addition to directly assaying for the presence of recombinant DNA, successful transformation can be confirmed by well known immunological methods when the recombinant DNA is capable of directing the expression of the protein. For example, cells successfully transformed widi an expression vector produce proteins displaying appropriate antigenicity. Samples of cells suspected of being transformed are harvested and assayed for the protein using suitable antibodies.
Thus, in addition to the transformed host cells themselves, the present invention also contemplates a culmre of those cells, preferably a monoclonal (clonally homogeneous) culture, or a culmre derived from a monoclonal culmre, in a nutrient medium.
A further aspect of the invention provides a method of making MSF or a variant, derivative, fragment or fusion thereof or a fusion of a variant, fragment or derivative, die method comprising culturing a host cell comprising a recombinant polynucleotide or a replicable vector which encodes said MSF or variant or fragment or derivative or fusion, and isolating said MSF or a variant, derivative, fragment or fusion thereof of a fusion or a variant, fragment or derivative from said host cell.
Metiiods of cultivating host cells and isolating recombinant proteins are well known in the art. It will be appreciated that, depending on the host cell, the MSF produced may differ from that which can be isolated from nature. For example, certain host cells, such as yeast or bacterial cells, either do not have, or have different, post-translational modification systems which may result in die production of forms of MSF which may be post-translationally modified in a different why to MSF isolated from nature. It is preferred if die host cell is a non-human host cell; move preferably it is not a mammalian cell.
It is preferred diat recombinant MSF is produced in a eukaryotic system, such as an insect cell. A further aspect of the invention provides MSF or a variant, fragment, derivative or fusion thereof or a fusion of a variant, fragment or derivative obtainable by die methods herein disclosed.
A further aspect of the invention provides a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence
N L v A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
Thus, a polypeptide of the invention includes
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V s Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V c T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T c I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G W M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
Preferably, the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFlα between positions 19 and 660, or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
It will be appreciated diat die polypeptides of the invention are not fibronectin or fragments of fibronectin such as the gelatin binding domain. Preferably, the fragments and variants and derivatives are those mat include a portion or portions of MSF which are portions that distinguish MSF from fibronectin and which are described in more detail below and by reference to Figure 2.
Preferably, the polypeptide of the invention is one which has migration stimulating factor activity.
Further aspects of the invention provide antibodies which are selective for MSF (and do not cross react with fibronectin) and antibodies which are selective for fibronectin (and do not cross react with MSF).
By "selective" we include antibodies which bind at least 10-fold more strongly to one polypeptide dian to the odier (ie MSF vs fibronectin); preferably at least 50-fold more strongly and more preferably at least 100- fold more strongly. Such antibodies may be made by mediods well known in me art using me information concerning me differences in amino acid sequence between MSF and fibronectin disclosed herein. In particular, the antibodies may be polyclonal or monoclonal.
Suitable monoclonal antibodies which are reactive as said may be prepared by known techniques, for example mose disclosed in "Monoclonal Antibodies: A manual of techniques" , H Zola (CRC Press, 1988) and in "Monoclonal Hybridoma Antibodies: Techniques and Applications", SGR Hurrell (CRC Press, 1982). Polyclonal antibodies may be produced which are poly specific or monospecific. It is preferred diat diey are monospecific.
One embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E w T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T s E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R w K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S s S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N G Y or namral variants thereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
A further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFlα between positions 19 and 660 or namral variants thereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
A furdier embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards an epitope present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFlα or natural variants thereof but which epitope is not present in fibronectin.
A further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards an epitope present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A s K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R w K c
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G v R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
between positions 19 and 660 or natural variants thereof but which is epitope is not present in fibronectin. It is particularly preferred if the antibody is reactive towards a molecule comprising any one of the peptides:
ISKYILRWRPVSIPPRNLGY; or QQWERTYLGNALVCTCYGGSR; or
PCVLPFTYNDRTDSTTSNYEQDQ; or TDHTVLVQTRGGNSNGALCH; or VGNGRGEWTCIAYSQLRDQCI which are found in MSF. The underlined amino acid(s) indicate die difference between MSF and fibronectin.
These peptides contain and flank regions of difference in amino acid sequence between MSF and fibronectin as shown in Figure 2 which are believed to be useful in distinguishing MSF and fibronectin using antibodies.
A further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl or namral variants mereof.
A further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl between positions 19 and 660 or namral variants thereof.
A further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards an epitope present in fibronectin but not present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V c T c Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R v G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T W E K P Y Q G W M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G v R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S s S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or natural variants thereof.
A further embodiment provides an antibody reactive towards an epitope present in fibronectin but not present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFlα between positions 19 and 660 or namral variants thereof.
It is particularly preferred if the antibody is reactive towards a molecule comprising any one of the peptides:
QQWERTYLGNVLVCTCYGGSR or EPCVLPFTYNGRTFYSCTTEGRQDGHLWCSTTSNYEQDQ or
CTDHTVLVQTCGGNSNGALCH or
VGNGRGEWTCYAYSQLRDQCI or
ISKYILRWRPKNSVGRWKEA or peptides derived from position 648 onwards in fibronectin as shown in Figure 2. The underlined amino acid(s) indicate die difference between fibronectin and MSF. These peptides diemselves may be useful for raising antibodies, but selective antibodies may be made using smaller fragments of these peptides which contain me region of difference between MSF and fibronectin.
Peptides in which one or more of the amino acid residues are chemically modified, before or after the peptide is syndiesised, may be used providing diat the function of me peptide, namely me production of specific antibodies in vivo, remains substantially unchanged. Such modifications include forming salts with acids or bases, especially physiologically acceptable organic or inorganic acids and bases, forming an ester or amide of a terminal carboxy 1 group, and attaching amino acid protecting groups such as N-t-butoxycarbonyl. Such modifications may protect the peptide from in vivo metabolism. The peptides may be present as single copies or as multiples, for example tandem repeats. Such tandem or multiple repeats may be sufficiently antigenic themselves to obviate the use of a carrier. It may be advantageous for the peptide to be formed as a loop, widi die N-terminal and C-terminal ends joined togedier, or to add one or more Cys residues to an end to increase antigenicity and/or to allow disulphide bonds to be formed. If the peptide is covalently linked to a carrier, preferably a polypeptide, tiien the arrangement is preferably such that title peptide of the invention forms a loop.
According to current immunological theories, a carrier function should be present in any immunogenic formulation in order to stimulate, or enhance stimulation of, the immune system. It is thought that die best carriers embody (or, together widi the antigen, create) a T-cell epitope. The peptides may be associated, for example by cross-linking, widi a separate carrier, such as serum albumins, myoglobins, bacterial toxoids and keyhole limpet haemocyanin. More recently developed carriers which induce T-cell help in the immune response include the hepatitis-B core antigen (also called die nucleocapsid protein), presumed T-cell epitopes such as Thr-Ala-Ser-Gly-Val-Ala-Glu-Thr-Thr-Asn-Cys, beta- galactosidase and tihe 163-171 peptide of interleukin-1. The latter compound may variously be regarded as a carrier or as an adjuvant or as both. Alternatively, several copies of the same or different peptides of the invention may be cross-linked to one anomer; in this simation diere is no separate carrier as such, but a carrier function may be provided by such cross-linking. Suitable cross-linking agents include diose listed as such in the Sigma and Pierce catalogues, for example glutaraldehyde, carbodiimide and succinimidyl 4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-l- carboxy late, the latter agent exploiting the -SH group on the C-terminal cysteine residue (if present).
If the peptide is prepared by expression of a suitable nucleotide sequence in a suitable host, dien it may be advantageous to express the peptide as a fusion product widi a peptide sequence which acts as a carrier. Kabigen's "Ecosec" system is an example of such an arrangement.
The peptide of the invention may be linked to odier antigens to provide a dual effect.
A further aspect of the invention provides a method of making an antibody which is reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V c T c Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q s Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V c L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I c T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I c T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N c T c F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant thereof and which is not reactive with fibronectin, the method comprising the steps of, where appropriate, immunising an animal with a peptide which distinguishes MSF from fibronectin and selecting an antibody which binds MSF but does not substantially bind fibronectin. Suitable peptides are disclosed above.
A still further aspect of the invention provides a method of making an antibody which is reactive towards fibronectin and which is not reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V s Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L v C T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant thereof, the method comprising the steps of, where appropriate, immunising an animal with a peptide which distinguishes fibronectin from MSF and selecting an antibody which binds fibronectin but does not substantially bind MSF. Suitable peptides are disclosed above.
It will be appreciated diat, widi tihe advancements in antibody technology, it may not be necessary to immunise an animal in order to produce an antibody. Syndietic systems, such as phage display libraries, may be used. The use of such systems is included in die methods of the invention.
Before the present invention it was not possible to make use of the differences in amino acid sequence between fibronectin and MSF in order to make antibodies which are useful in distinguishing MSF and fibronectin since it was not known diat MSF and fibronectin had significant differences in structure or what those differences were. As is discussed in more detail below, such antibodies are useful in cancer diagnosis. It will also be appreciated diat such antibodies which distinguish MSF and fibronectin are also useful research reagents. Suitably, the antibodies of the invention are detectably labelled, for example they may be labelled in such a way that they may be directly or indirectly detected. Conveniently, die antibodies are labelled with a radioactive moiety or a coloured moiety or a fluorescent moiety, or they may be linked to an enzyme. Typically, the enzyme is one which can convert a non-coloured (or non-fluorescent) substrate to a coloured (or fluorescent) product. The antibody may be labelled by biotin (or streptavidin) and then detected indirectly using streptavidin (or biotin) which has been labelled widi a radioactive moiety or a coloured moiety or a fluorescent moiety, or the like or they may be linked to an enzyme of the type described above.
It is particularly preferred if peptides are made, based on me amino acid sequence of MSF and fibronectin, which allow for specific antibodies to be made.
Thus, a furdier aspect of the invention provides a molecule which is capable of, following immunisation of an animal if appropriate, giving rise to antibodies which are reactive towards die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L VA T C L P V RA S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A v P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v s Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L v c T C Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D c T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E w T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G v R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or namral variants thereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
A still further aspect of the invention provides a molecule which is capable of, following immunisation of an animal if appropriate, giving rise to antibodies which are reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A v P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L v c T c Y G G s R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c v T D S G V v Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S c Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w c G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R w K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G v R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R W
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or namral variants thereof.
The molecule is preferably a peptide but may be any molecule which gives rise to the desired antibodies. The molecule, preferably a peptide, is conveniently formulated into an immunological composition using methods well known in the art.
The peptides disclosed above form part of these aspects of the invention.
Peptides may be syndiesised by die Fmoc-polyamide mode of solid-phase peptide syndiesis as disclosed by Lu et al (1981) /. Org. Chem. 46, 3433 and references therein. Temporary N-amino group protection is afforded by die 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) group. Repetitive cleavage of this highly base-labile protecting group is effected using 20% piperidine in N,N-dimethylformamide. Side-chain functionalities may be protected as their butyl ethers (in die case of serine direonine and tyrosine), butyl esters (in die case of glutamic acid and aspartic acid), butyloxycarbonyl derivative (in the case of lysine and histidine), trityl derivative (in the case of cysteine) and 4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylbenzenesulphonyl derivative (in die case of arginine). Where glutamine or asparagine are C-terminal residues, use is made of the 4,4'-dimethoxybenzhydryl group for protection of the side chain amido functionalities. The solid-phase support is based on a polydimethyl-acrylamide polymer constituted from die tiiree monomers dimethylacrylamide (backbone-monomer), bisacryloylethylene diamine (cross linker) and acryloylsarcosine methyl ester (functionalising agent). The peptide-to-resin cleavable linked agent used is die acid-labile 4-hydroxymethyl-phenoxyacetic acid derivative. All amino acid derivatives are added as dieir preformed symmetrical anhydride derivatives widi die exception of asparagine and glutamine, which are added using a reversed N,N-dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide/l- hydroxybenzotriazole mediated coupling procedure. All coupling and deprotection reactions are monitored using ninhydrin, trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid or isotin test procedures. Upon completion of synthesis, peptides are cleaved from the resin support with concomitant removal of side-chain protecting groups by treatment with 95% trifluoroacetic acid containing a 50% scavenger mix. Scavengers commonly used are ethaneditihiol, phenol, anisole and water, the exact choice depending on the constituent amino acids of the peptide being syndiesised. Trifluoroacetic acid is removed by evaporation in vacuo, with subsequent trituration with diediyl ether affording the crude peptide. Any scavengers present are removed by a simple extraction procedure which on lyophilisation of die aqueous phase affords die crude peptide free of scavengers. Reagents for peptide synd esis are generally available from Calbiochem-Novabiochem (UK) Ltd, Nottingham NG7 2QJ, UK. Purification may be effected by any one, or a combination of, techniques such as size exclusion chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and (principally) reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Analysis of peptides may be carried out using diin layer chromatography, reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, amino-acid analysis after acid hydrolysis and by fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometric analysis.
It is now possible to make polynucleotides which can distinguish MSF and fibronectin and such polynucleotides are believed to be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer.
A further aspect of the invention provides a polynucleotide which is capable of distinguishing a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T c Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T c I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K c F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q c I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G v S C Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N s N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N c T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H c Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant thereof and a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin. A still furtiher aspect of the invention provides a polynucleotide which is capable of hybridising to a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin but not a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M v Q P Q S P V A V s Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G W M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c v T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w c G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant thereof.
A yet still further aspect of the invention provides a polynucleotide which is capable of hybridising to a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V RA S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v s Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L v c T c Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C v T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T S E G R R D N M K W C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y N N V V NN D D T T F F H H K K R R H H E E E E G G H H M M L L N N C C T T C C F F G G Q G R G R K C D D P P VV D D Q Q C C Q Q D D S S E E T T G G T T F F Y Y Q Q I I G G D D S S W E E K Y V H G V R Y Q Q C C YY C C Y Y G G R R G G I I G G E E H H C C Q Q P P L L Q Q T T Y Y P P S S S S G P V E V F I I T T EE T T P P S S O Q P P N N S S H H P P I I Q Q N N A A P P Q Q P P S S H H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant tihereof but not to a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin.
Such polynucleotides can be designed by reference to Figures 1 and 2 and die known sequence of fibronectin (Kornblihtt et al (1985) EMBO J.4, 1755-1759), and may be syndiesised by well known methods such as by chemical synmesis or by using specific primers and template, a DNA amplification technique such as die polymerase chain reaction. The polynucleotide may be any polnucleotide, whether DNA or RNA or a syndietic nucleic acid such as a peptide nucleic acid, provided diat it can distinguish polynucleotides which encode MSF and fibronectin as said. It is particularly preferred if the polynucleotide is an oligonucleotide which can serve as a hybridisation probe or as a primer for a nucleic acid amplification system. Thus, the polynucleotide of this aspect of the invention may be an oligonucleotide of at least 10 nucleotides in lengdi, more preferably at least 14 nucleotides in lengdi and still more preferably at least 18 nucleotides in lengdi.
It is particularly preferred diat die polynucleotide hybridises to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes MSF but does not hybridise to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes fibronectin.
It is also particularly preferred that die polynucleotide hybridises to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes fibronectin but does not hybridise to a mRNA (or cDNA) which encodes MSF. The nucleotide sequence of MSF cDNA is disclosed herein and tihe nucleotide sequence of fibronectin is known (for example, see Kornblihtt et al (1985) EMBO J.4, 1755-1759). The skilled person can readily design probes which can distinguish MSF and fibronectin mRNAs and cDNAs based on diis information. Differences between MSF and fibronectin include a 45 bp deletion from the first type II fibronectin repeat module in MSF, and die unique tail present in MSF.
Preferably, the polynucleotides of the invention are detectably labelled. For example, they may be labelled in such a way mat they may be directly or indirectly detected. Conveniently, me polynucleotides are labelled widi a radioactive moiety or a coloured moiety or a fluorescent moiety or some other suitable detectable moiety. The polynucleotides may be linked to an enzyme, or they may be linked to biotin (or streptaridin) and detected in a similar way as described for antibodies of die invention.
A furtiher aspect of the invention provides a method of diagnosing cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample from the person to be diagnosed die presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T c Y G G S R G F N c E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S c Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K c G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
A still further aspect of the invention provides a method of determining susceptibility to cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample derived from the person to be tested die presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A v P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M v Q P Q S P V A v S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L v C T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y v V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V v Y S V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P c
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E w T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G v R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P s S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a naπiral variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
A still further aspect of the invention provides a method of determining the likely outcome of a patient with cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample from the patient the presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N c E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
Preferably, the reagent which can distinguish MSF from fibronectin is an antibody as disclosed herein. The use of antibodies to detect specific polypeptides in samples is well known. For example, they can be used in enzyme-linked immunosorbend assays (ELISA) or they may be used in histopadiological analysis. It is believed diat die presence of MSF indicates an elevated risk of cancer.
MSF may be conveniently measured in suitable body fluids such as serum or urine, or in extracts of tissue, or in the medium used to culmre patient derived cells in vitro. The measurement of MSF is believed to be useful in a number of cancers as discussed above. Antibodies may be used to detect MSF in tissue sections by immunolocalisation. Sub-populations of MSF-producing fibroblasts are present in the normal adult (Irwin et al (1994) J. Cell Science 107, 1333-1346; Schor et al (1994) pp 277-298 in Mammary Tumorigenesis and Malignant Progression, Dickson, R. and Lippman, M. (eds), 1994, Kluwer Academic Publishers.
It will be appreciated tiiat, as well as the MSF polypeptide being measured using e methods described herein in diagnosis or prognosis or determination of susceptibility to cancer, it may be desirable to detect MSF mRNA in a suitable sample or it may be desirable to detect any changes in the fibronectin gene which are associated widi die production of MSF. Mutations in the MSF cDNA or fibronectin gene may be detected using methods well known in the art.
Thus, a further aspect of the invention provides a method of determining susceptibility to cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample derived from the person to be tested die presence of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V RA S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L AV Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L v C T C Y G G S R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D s M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q s Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V v G E T E K P Y Q G W M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V v Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C v G N G R G E T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K c
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D s W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P s S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant or fragment mereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin.
A still further aspect of die invention provides a method of determining me likely outcome of a patient with cancer die method comprising detecting in a sample from the patient die presence of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T s E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I c T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T p S Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin. Preferably, the reagent which can distinguish die polynucleotide encoding MSF from the polynucleotide encoding fibronectin is a suitable polynucleotide as disclosed herein. Metiiods of detecting specific nucleic acids in a sample are well known in the art. For example, in situ hybridisation methods which detect mRNA may be used, and norύiern blotting methods may be used. Dot blots, slot blots and Soudiern blots may also be used.
Thus, it can be seen diat die reagents used in the above methods may be used in die manufacture of a reagent for diagnosing cancer.
It will be appreciated diat die antibodies of the invention, and die polynucleotides of tihe invention, which can distinguish MSF and fibronectin (particularly those which recognise MSF or a nucleic acid encoding MSF, but not fibronectin, or a nucleic acid encoding fibronectin) are useful packaged into diagnostic kits containing said antibodies or polynucleotides and odier reagents such as means for labelling the said antibodies or polynucleotides.
The invention also includes a number of therapeutic applications, for example chemoprevention and chemotherapy.
Chemoprevention includes die neutralisation of MSF activity and/or die suppression of inappropriate MSF expression in individuals deemed to be at risk of cancer due to inappropriate MSF production. It may also be desirable to administer inhibitors of MSF. Antibodies directed at MSF may act as inhibitors. Chemotherapy includes die use of anti-MSF antibodies to target coupled cytotoxins to sites of inappropriate MSF production, and die use of MSF inhibitors as mentioned above.
Antibody-targeted cytotoxins are well known in the art and include antibodies linked to a directly cytotoxic moiety such as ricin or a toxic drug; and antibodies linked to an indirectly cytotoxic moiety such as an enzyme which is able to convert a non-toxic prodrug into a toxic drug. In die latter case, die prodrug as well as die antibody-linked enzyme is administered to die patient.
It is useful to measure MSF in wound fluids since mis information may be relevant in terms of predicting tihe efficiency of the subsequent healing process, including the propensity of the scar. The amount of MSF in wound fluids may be measured using, for example, an MSF-selective antibody of the invention.
Inappropriate expression of MSF may be a feature of several pathological conditions characterised by inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The measurement of MSF in associated body fluid, such as synovial fluid, may be of clinical utility; other pathological conditions of relevance in this context include fibrotic and periodontal disease.
MSF is believed to be involved in die migration of cells, especially fibroblasts any, in particular, the migration of cells may take place within the wound.
Thus, a further aspect of the invention provides a method of modulating cell migration the method comprising administering an effective amount of a polypeptide of the invention to the site where modulation of cell migration is required.
Typically, die cell whose migration is modulated is a fibroblast. Typically, MSF stimulates the migration of cells such as fibroblasts. Preferably, the site where modulation of cell migration is required is a site widiin a mammalian body, such as die body of a horse, pig, cow, sheep, cat, dog and die like. Most preferably it is a site within a human body. It is preferred if the site within die body is die site of a wound.
A further aspect of the invention provides a method of healing a wound die method comprising administering to die locality of the wound an effective amount of a polypeptide of the invention.
The invention also includes a method of preventing scarring by administering to me locality of the site where scarring is believed to be likely an effective amount of an MSF polypeptide as described herein or a suitable fragment or variant. Preventing or reducing scarring may be part of the wound-healing process. The MSF polypeptide as described herein or a suitable fragment or variant is believed to be useful in preventing or reducing scarring because it reduces hyaluronic acid formation.
It is preferred if the polypeptide administered is a recombinant polypeptide expressed in a eukaryotic host.
The MSF polypeptide may be administered to the site of cell migration or wound healing by any suitable means. Conveniently, the polypeptide is administered topically. It is particularly preferred if the polypeptide is incorporated widiin an applied wound dressing such as a collagen mesh. Dressings which are suitable for the incorporation of the polypeptide of the invention are well known in die art and many are commercially available.
Other formulations might involve the incorporation of MSF into an ointment, paste, gel, cream (or equivalent) designed for topical application.
The formulations may conveniently be presented in unit dosage form and may be prepared by any of the methods well known in the art of pharmacy. Such methods include me step of bringing into association me active ingredient (polypeptide of the invention) with the carrier which constitutes one or more accessory ingredients. In general die formulations are prepared by uniformly and intimately bringing into association die active ingredient widi liquid carriers or finely divided solid carriers or botih, and dien, if necessary, shaping me product.
Formulations in accordance widi die present invention suitable for oral administration may be presented as discrete units such as capsules, cachets or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient; as a powder or granules; as a solution or a suspension in an aqueous liquid or a non-aqueous liquid; or as an oil-in-water liquid emulsion or a water-in-oil liquid emulsion. The active ingredient may also be presented as a bolus, electuary or paste.
Formulations suitable for topical administration in die mourn include lozenges comprising the active ingredient in a flavoured basis, usually sucrose and acacia or tragacanth; pastilles comprising the active ingredient in an inert basis such as gelatin and glycerin, or sucrose and acacia; and mouth-washes comprising die active ingredient in a suitable liquid carrier.
It should be understood d at in addition to die ingredients particularly mentioned above die formulations of this invention may include other agents conventional in the art having regard to die type of formulation in question, for example those suitable for oral administration may include flavouring agents.
Application of gene therapy techniques may provide a means of controlling MSF expression.
Any suitable amount of the polypeptide of the invention may be administered. By "suitable amount" we mean an amount which gives e desired biological response and that does not lead to any significantly undesirable effects such as toxicity or the like. Small quantities of MSF, for example less than 1 μg, may be effective. It is preferred if superficial wounds, such as diose to the skin, are treated by tihe method of the invention.
The invention will now be described in furtiier detail widi reference to tihe following Figures and Examples wherein:
Figure 1 shows me entire nucleotide sequence of the 2.1kb insert in clone pMSFlα which contains the MSF cDNA. The start and stop codons are underlined.
Figure 2 shows die translation of the cDNA sequence shown in Figure 1 and die alignment of the peptide sequence with diat of the gelatin-binding domain of fibronectin. The start and end of the MSF polypeptide are indicated by vertical bars and arrows.
Figure 3 shows the peptide sequence of MSF (as encoded in the pMSFlα clone) according to its domains. The sequence of pMSFlα is shown grouped according to its domains (cf analysis of fibronectin from Korablihtt et al (1985) EMBO J. 4, 1755-1759). Residues are numbered and have been aligned to give optimal homology by introducing gaps (indicated by Λ). Identical residues widiin a type of homology are indicated by a box (A), and stop codons are designated by asterisks (*). Deleted amino acids are indicated by dashed lines (-), and die IGDS sequence is underlined.
Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic comparison of fibronectin and MSF.
Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic model of MSF showing tihe positions of die IGD-containing sequences (ie. IGDT, IGDS and IGDQ) widiin die domains.
Example 1: Cloning and sequence analysis of pMSFla, a clone encoding MSF
A cDNA library was constructed using mRNA extracted from a human foetal fibroblast cell line, MRC5-SV2, in die vector λZapII.
A primer based on peptide sequence from the gelatin-binding domain (GBD) of fibronectin was used together with a vector primer in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a fragment of 1.2kb. Sequence analysis showed a strong homology to GBD for most of the fragment. Clear differences included an internal deletion of 45bp, and a 3' unique sequence of 175bp.
The 3' unique sequence was used as a probe for screening the library, using the digoxigenin-labelled system. Positive plaques were picked for further analysis by secondary and tertiary screening, followed by in vivo excision of die pBluescript™ phagemid containing me cloned insert.
A plasmid containing an insert of 2.1kb, named pMSFlα, was sequenced by die Sanger-dideoxy method, using a progressive priming approach, and die sequence was assembled into a single contain using the Fragment Assembly System of the Daresbury/Seqnet series of programs.
The entire nucleotide sequence of the 2. lkb fragment is shown in Figure 1.
Translation of this sequence and alignment of its peptide sequence widi diat of the gelatin-binding domain of fibronectin was achieved using the Fasta program (Daresbury/Seqnet), and is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 3 shows the peptide sequence of pMSF-lα grouped according to its domains.
Odier cDNA clones encoding MSF may be readily obtained and sequenced using mediods well known in the art and probe derived from the Figure 1 sequence, in particular probes which distinguish MSF from fibronectin. Example 2: Demonstration of the presence of MSF-secreting fibroblasts in sections of breast cancer, but not normal breast tissue
In situ hybridisation using a riboprobe based on die unique coding region for the unique C-terminus of MSF demonstrates the presence of MSF- secreting fibroblasts in sections of breast cancer, but not normal breast tissue.
Suitable riboprobes contain me entire unique nucleotide sequence of MSF- lα (position 1953-2147), and may include up to 10 bases upstream and contained widiin die fibronectin sequence (position 1943-2152). This ensures high specificity towards MSF-lα, whilst allowing die use of a probe of longer lengdi. A digoxigenin-labelled riboprobe containing a major portion of the unique sequence (position 1974-2147) is used. This region was selected on the basis of the position of convenient restriction sites.
Example 3: Monoclonal antibodies which are specific to MSF and do not cross-react with fibronectin
Monoclonal antibodies are raised using any of the currently available standard procedures. The i-mmunogen is a syndietic peptide based on die 10 amino acid unique tail of MSF or is based on die peptide sequences:
ISKYILRWRPVSIPPRNLGY; or
QQWERTYLGNALVCTCYGGSR; or PCVLPFTYNDRTDSTTSNYEQDQ; or TDHTVLVQTRGGNSNGALCH; or VGNGRGEWTCIAYSQLRDQCI Example 4: Genomic PCR and FISH studies
Objective: To obtain information regarding the sequence of tihe genomic MSF gene regarding (i) its relationship to fibronectin, and (ii) chromosomal location.
Background: The 5' upstream untranslated sequence of the cloned MSF cDNA is identical to ti at of fibronectin, thereby strongly suggesting its close relationship to die fibronectin gene (note: such upstream untranslated regions are virtually never identical between two genes as diere is no selective pressure. This inference is in apparent conflict with die "uniqueness" of the 3' end of die MSF cDNA which codes for a 10 amino acid polypeptide and also contains a contiguous untranslated region containing several stop codons).
Methods and Results: Two PCR reactions were established: one at die extreme 5' untranslated region of fibronectin (FN)/MSF and die other at the extreme 3' region of MSF which encompassed die 175bp unique sequence. Reactions were carried out using DNA purified using the Qiagen Blood kit. Sequence analysis of the resulting amplicon revealed diat die 175bp "unique" sequence was contiguous widi die fibronectin sequence.
Experiments were then carried out in order to obtain initial data regarding the genomic location of the 3' unique sequence. This was accomplished by selecting clones from the human PAC library (obtained from HGMP) using the above 2 PCR approach. Secondary and tertiary screening lead to the identification of on which produced products from both PCR reactions. This clone was approximately 70-110 kb in size.
The isolated clone was next subjected to restriction digestion (BamHI and Kpnl) and die fragments subcloned into pBluescript and analysed using our 2 PCR approach. Two positive clones were identified: clone B3(2) is 20 kb and can generate both die 5' and 3' fragments, ereby indicating diat it contains the entire MSF genomic sequence. The odier clone, K5(5) is 7 kb and only contains tihe 3 ' unique sequence.
We have used bodi clones for FISH analysis of the human genome. Our data unambiguously indicate diat MSF maps to chromosome 2 region q35. Note: mis is within the fibronectin gene, which is located on chromosome 2q34-36.
Conclusions: The FISH analysis clearly indicates diat the gene coding for the MSF "unique" sequence is contained widiin die fibronectin gene. These results indicate diat MSF is a novel "mini" splice variant of fibronectin. The genomic fibronectin gene is very large indeed and has still not been fully sequenced. To our knowledge, diis is die first report of the unique sequence. The absence of the unique sequence in all previously identified isoforms of fibronectin (which are all in excess of 220 kDa compared to 70 kDa for MSF) indicates diat it is spliced out of these molecules.
This information is of relevance for several reasons. Firstly, all previously described splice variants of fibronectin have molecular masses in the region of 225 kDa compared with only 70 kDa of MSF. This small size is totally unexpected and prompts us to refer to MSF as a novel "mini" splice variant of fibronectin. Secondly, all known splice variants of fibronectin involve the inclusion/deletion of entire type III repeats or variable regions of the IIICS region (all of which occur at a considerable distance downstream of the termination of MSF, which does not contain any known splice site). Finally, as the unique 3 '-sequence of MSF was not hitherto identified, it was not possible to predict diat MSF was indeed a splice variant of fibronectin until die above data was obtained from genomic DNA.
Example 5: Recombinant MSF expression
Objective: To express recombinant human MSF (rhMSF) in 3T3 cells.
Methods and Results: 3T3 cells were transfected using me Lipfectamine/Plus system (Gibco), according to tihe manufacmrer's instructions. The plasmid used was pcDNA3.1/hisB/lacZ. The insert sequence contained a sequence encoding a his tail fused to die human MSF cDNA sequence so mat a fusion protein with a his tail is expressed. This facilitates purification of die expressed protein. Transfectants were isolated by tiheir selective growth in medium containing 418. One liter of conditioned medium produced by die transfected cells was collected and die fraction containing all me migration stimulating activity obtained by doing a 0-20% ammonium sulphate precipitation. The pellet was resuspended in buffer and die .to-tagged rhMSF purified by passage dirough a ProBond column (Invitrogen) column, all done in accordance widi manufacmrer's instructions. Approximately 250 μg of rhMSF were collected from the starting material. The purified protein resulted in a single band of approximately 70 kDa in SDS PAGE. This protein stimulated die migration of target adult fibroblasts and was active at concentrations between 1 pg/ml to 10 ng/ml (ie in precise agreement widi previously published data regarding die dose-response of MSF purified from fetal fibroblast conditioned medium).
Example 6: Anti-MSF antibody production
Objective: To generate polyclonal antibodies to MSF.
Methods: Rabbits were immunised widi a 15-mer synthetic peptide based on die C-terminus of MSF: note, this contains die entire 10 amino acid unique sequence and die contiguous 5 amino sequence of fibronectin. The syndietic peptide was coupled to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) carrier and used to immunise two rabbits with tihe following protocol: first injection of 10 mg and second injection of 5 mg three weeks later. Serum was collected six weeks after the first injection and purified IgG shown to recognise the syntihetic peptide in both dot and Western blots.
Results: We have used die antibody for both Western blots and immunohistochemistry. The former application has (i) confirmed diat rhMSF is recognised by die antibody, and (ii) demonstrated diat fetal, but not adult, fibroblasts produce a 70 kDa molecule which is recognised by die antibody and expresses migration stimulating activity when eluted from the PAGE gels.
Polyclonal antibodies were generated against a syndietic peptide incorporating the 10 amino acid "unique" MSF C-terminal sequence. This antibody recognises die unique synthetic peptide (down to 5 ng) and MSF (down to 10 ng) in dot blots; it does not recognise fibronectin or BSA at concentrations up to 4 μg. This antibody has been used to investigate die tissue distribution of MSF; these experiments show that MSF is present in die stromal compartment of fetal skin and is not detectable in adult skin.

Claims

1. A recombinant polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D c T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D c T C L G E G S G R I T c T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L c T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T c V G N G R G E T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E W H c Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or variants or fragments or derivatives or fusions thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
2. A polynucleotide according to Claim 1, encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl╬▒ between positions 19 and 660, or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
3. A polynucleotide according to Claim 1 or 2, which contains no introns.
4. A polynucleotide according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the polynucleotide whose sequence is shown in Figure 1.
5. A polynucleotide according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the polynucleotide whose sequence is shown in Figure 1 between positions 57 and 1982.
6. A polynucleotide according to any one of the preceding claims, encoding a polypeptide which has migration stimulating factor activity.
7. A replicable vector comprising a polynucleotide as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 6.
8. A host cell comprising a recombinant polynucleotide or a replicable vector as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 7.
9. A method of making a polypeptide having die amino acid sequence
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A v P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v s Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L v c T c Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T w R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q c I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D v R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S c Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y s F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K W c G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C v G N G R G E T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N c T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G v R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H c Q P L Q T Y P S s S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof, or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives, the method comprising culmring a host cell as defined in Claim 8 which expresses said variant or fragment or derivative or fusion and isolating said polypeptide or variant or fragment or derivative or fusion from said host cell culture.
10. A polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N C E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S c Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y s F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w c G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S s s G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or variants or fragments or fusions or derivatives thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments or derivatives.
11. A polypeptide according to Claim 10, comprising the amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl╬▒ between positions 19 and 660, or variants or fragments or fusions thereof or fusions of said variants or fragments.
12. A polypeptide obtainable by the method of Claim 9.
13. A polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 12, which has migration stimulating factor activity.
14. An antibody reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid
Figure imgf000058_0001
N L v A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A v P S T G A s K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D s M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K W C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or namral variants thereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
15. An antibody reactive towards tihe polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl╬▒ between positions 19 and
660 or namral variants thereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
16. An antibody reactive towards an epitope present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A V P S T G A s K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V s Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V c T C Y G G S R G F N c E s K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y v V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D v R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C v T D S G V V Y S V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G v S C Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F c T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D c T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F c P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or namral variants thereof but which epitope is not present in fibronectin.
17. An antibody reactive towards an epitope present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl╬▒ between positions 19 and 660 or natural variants thereof but which epitope is not present in fibronectin.
18. An antibody according to any one of Claims 14 to 17, reactive towards a molecule comprising any one of the peptides ISKYILRWRPVSIPPRNLGY or QQWERTYLGNALVCTCYGGSR or EPCVLPFTYNDRTDSTTSNYEQDQ or CTDHTVLVQTRGGNS- NGALCH or VGNGRGEWTCIAYSQLRDQCI .
19. An antibody reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L VA T C L P V RA S L P H R L N M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T AV P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V s Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R v G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D v R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A v T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y s F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y s Q L R D Q c I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S s S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y or namral variants thereof.
20. An antibody reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl╬▒ between positions 19 and 660 or natural variants thereof.
21. An antibody reactive towards an epitope present in fibronectin but not present in me polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A s K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T c Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q s Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G W M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q c I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S c Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F c T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K c G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F c P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T c I A Y S Q L R D Q c I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N c T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H c Q P L Q T Y P S S s G P V E V F
I T E T P s Q P N S H P I Q w N A P Q P S H I s K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or namral variants thereof.
22. An antibody reactive towards an epitope present in fibronectin but not present in the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is shown in Figure 2 labelled pMSFl╬▒ between positions 19 and 660 or namral variants thereof.
23. An antibody according to any one of Claims 19 to 22 reactive towards a molecule comprising any one of the peptides QQWERTYLGNVLVCTCYGGSR or EPCVLPFTYNGRTFYSCTTEG- RQDGHLWCSTTSNYEQDQ or CTDHTVLVQTQGGNSNGALCH or VGNGRGEWTCYAYSQLRDQCI or ISKYILRWRPKNSVGRWKEA or peptides derived from position 648 in fibronectin as shown in Figure 2.
24. An antibody according to any one of Claims 14 to 24 which is a monoclonal antibody.
25. A method of making an antibody which is reactive towards die polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is
N L V A T C L P V RA S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A s K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V s Q s K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N c E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V c L G N G K G E T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I c T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K W C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N c T c F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant thereof and which is not reactive with fibronectin, the method comprising the steps of, where appropriate, immunising an animal with a peptide which distinguishes MSF from fibronectin and selecting an antibody which binds MSF but does not substantially bind fibronectin.
26. A method of making an antibody which is reactive towards fibronectin and which is not reactive towards the polypeptide whose amino acid sequence is N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V c T c Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T S R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R w K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P s Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant thereof, the method comprising the steps of, where appropriate, immunising an animal wim a peptide which distinguishes fibronectin from MSF and selecting an antibody which binds fibronectin but does not substantially bind MSF.
27. A molecule which is capable of, following immunisation of an animal if appropriate, giving rise to antibodies which are reactive towards die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L v A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L v C T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C v G N G R G E w T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N v N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or natural variants tihereof but not reactive towards fibronectin.
28. A molecule which is capable of, following immunisation of an animal if appropriate, giving rise to antibodies which are reactive towards fibronectin but not reactive towards tihe polypeptide whose sequence is
N L v A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N c E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T c I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M v D C T c L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D c T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I c T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q c I V D D I T Y
N v N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P s H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or namral variants thereof.
29. A molecule according to Claim 27 which is a peptide comprising any one of the sequences
ISKYILRWRPVSIPPRNLGY; or QQWERTYLGNALVCTCYGGSR; or PCVLPFTYNDRTDSTTSNYEQDQ; or TDHTVLVQTRGGNSNGALCH; or
VGNGRGEWTCIAYSQLRDQCI which are found in MSF.
30. A molecule according to Claim 28, which is a peptide comprising any one of the sequences
QQWERTYLGNVLVCTCYGGSR or EPCVLPFTYNGRTFYSCTTEGRQDGHLWCSTTSNYEQDQ or
CTDHTVLVQTQGGNSNGALCH or
VGNGRGEWTCYAYSQLRDQCI or
ISKYILRWRPKNSVGRWKEA or peptides derived from position 648 onwards in fibronectin as shown in Figure 2.
31. A polynucleotide which is capable of distinguishing a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T c F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K c F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T w E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q c Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant thereof and a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin.
32. A polynucleotide which is capable of hybridising to a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin but not a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T c L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant thereof.
33. A polynucleotide which is capable of hybridising to a polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide whose sequence is
N L v A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V s Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G w M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T s E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V s I P P R N L G Y or a namral variant thereof but not to a polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin.
34. A polynucleotide according to any one of Claims 31 to 33, wherein the polynucleotide is an oligonucleotide.
35. A polynucleotide according to any one of Claims 31 to 34, wherein me polynucleotide which encodes fibronectin or the polynucleotide which encodes die polypeptide as said or a namral variant thereof is a mRNA or a cDNA.
36. A method of diagnosing cancer me method comprising detecting in a sample from the person to be diagnosed the presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L v A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A v Q C L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A v S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L v C T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G w M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T W S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S v Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G v S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N s N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y s Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N s H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
37. A method of determining susceptibility to cancer die method comprising detecting in a sample derived from the person to be tested die presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V RA S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L AV Q C L G T AV P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V c T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K c F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M v D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T S R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E W K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C v G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q c I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V s I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
38. A method of determining the likely outcome of a patient with cancer the mediod comprising detecting in a sample from the patient the presence of a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P S T G A s K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N c E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
D C T C I G A G R G R I S C T I A N R C H E G G Q s Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T C T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E w K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P c
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y s F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F c P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R W K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R w
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant or fragment thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin.
39. A memod according to any one of Claims 36 to 38, wherein the reagent which can distinguish said polypeptide from fibronectin is an antibody according to any one of Claims 14 to 18.
40. A method of diagnosing cancer die method comprising detecting in a sample from the person to be diagnosed a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L v A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T A V P s T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q W E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I
W D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T W E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H C V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T C L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L v Q T R G G N S N G A L C H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T c I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H c Q P L Q T Y P S s S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin.
41. A method of determining susceptibility to cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample derived from the person to be tested die presence of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T C L P V R A S L P H R L N M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q C L G T AV P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V C T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T C L G E G S G R I T c T S R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y S V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N s N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K w C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S W E K Y V H G V R Y
Q c Y C Y G R G I G E W H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F
I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R W
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin.
42. A memod of determining the likely outcome of a patient witih cancer the method comprising detecting in a sample from the patient the presence of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q s K P G C Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q w E R T Y L G N A L V c T C Y G G s R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T c F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I w D C T c I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R C H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T R R P H E T G G Y M L E c V C L G N G K G E W T C K
P I A E K c F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G w M M
V D C T c L G E G S G R I T c T s R N R C N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T S V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q W L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T s N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I c T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S S S G P V E V F I T E T P S Q P N S H P I Q N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a namral variant thereof using a reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin.
43. A method according to any one of Claims 40 to 42, wherein die reagent which can distinguish said polynucleotide from a polynucleotide encoding fibronectin is a polynucleotide according to Claim 31 or 33.
44. A method according to any one of Claims 36 to 43, wherein die cancer is breast cancer.
45. Use of a reagent which can distinguish tihe polypeptide whose sequence is
N L V A T c L P V R A S L P H R L N
M L R G P G P G L L L L A V Q c L G T A V P S T G A S K S K
R Q A Q Q M V Q P Q S P V A V S Q S K P G c Y D N G K H Y Q
I N Q Q E R T Y L G N A L V c T C Y G G S R G F N C E S K
P E A E E T C F D K Y T G N T Y R V G D T Y E R P K D S M I D C T C I G A G R G R I S c T I A N R c H E G G Q S Y K I
G D T W R R P H E T G G Y M L E C V C L G N G K G E W T c K
P I A E K C F D H A A G T S Y V V G E T E K P Y Q G M M
V D C T c L G E G S G R I T c T S R N R c N D Q D T R T S Y
R I G D T S K K D N R G N L L Q C I C T G N G R G E K C
E R H T s V Q T T S S G S G P F T D V R A A V Y Q P Q P H P
Q P P P Y G H c V T D S G V V Y s V G M Q L K T Q G N K Q
M L C T c L G N G V S C Q E T A V T Q T Y G G N S N G E P C
V L P F T Y N D R T D S T T S N Y E Q D Q K Y S F C T D H T
V L V Q T R G G N S N G A L c H F P F L Y N N H N Y T D C T
S E G R R D N M K C G T T Q N Y D A D Q K F G F C P M A A
H E E I C T T N E G V M Y R I G D Q W D K Q H D M G H M M R
C T C V G N G R G E W T C I A Y S Q L R D Q C I V D D I T Y
N V N D T F H K R H E E G H M L N C T C F G Q G R G R K C
D P V D Q C Q D S E T G T F Y Q I G D S E K Y V H G V R Y
Q C Y C Y G R G I G E H C Q P L Q T Y P S s S G P V E V F
I T E T P s Q P N S H P I Q W N A P Q P S H I S K Y I L R
R P V S I P P R N L G Y
or a natural variant tihereof from fibronectin in the manufacture of a reagent for diagnosing cancer.
46. Use of a reagent as defined in Claim 45, as a diagnostic agent.
47. A method of modulating cell migration me method comprising administering an effective amount of a polypeptide according to any one of
Claims 10 to 13 to the site where modulation of cell migration is required.
48. A method according to Claim 47, wherein the cell is a fibroblast or an endodielial cell.
49. A method according to Claim 47 or 48, wherein the site is in a mammalian body.
50. A method according to Claim 49, wherein the site is in a human body.
51. Use of a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, in the manufacuire of an agent for modulating cell migration.
52. Use of a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, for modulating cell migration.
53. A method of healing a wound die method comprising administering to the locality of the wound an effective amount of a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13.
54. Use of a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, in die manufacuire of a medicament for healing wounds.
55. Use of a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, for healing wounds.
56. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
57. A polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13 for use in medicine.
58. A method of preventing scarring comprising administering to the locality of the site where scarring is to be prevented an effective amount of a polypeptide according to any one of Claims 10 to 13.
PCT/GB1998/003766 1997-12-16 1998-12-15 Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof WO1999031233A1 (en)

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JP2000539133A JP5099943B2 (en) 1997-12-16 1998-12-15 Polypeptide, polynucleotide and use thereof
DE69840550T DE69840550D1 (en) 1997-12-16 1998-12-15 POLYPEPTIDES AND POLYNUCLEOTIDES AND ITS USES
US09/581,651 US7351810B1 (en) 1997-12-16 1998-12-15 Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof
EP98960025A EP1042466B1 (en) 1997-12-16 1998-12-15 Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof
AU15712/99A AU1571299A (en) 1997-12-16 1998-12-15 Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof
US11/929,587 US7811789B2 (en) 1997-12-16 2007-10-30 Polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof

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WO2001053531A3 (en) * 2000-01-18 2001-12-20 Pharmacia Corp Osteoarthritis tissue derived nucleic acids, polypeptides, vectors, and cells
WO2001053531A2 (en) * 2000-01-18 2001-07-26 Pharmacia Corporation Osteoarthritis tissue derived nucleic acids, polypeptides, vectors, and cells
WO2004074441A2 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-09-02 Government Of The United States Of America Represented By The Secretary Department Of Health And Human Services Amplification or overexpression of mll septin-like fusion (msf) and septin9 and methods related thereto
WO2004074441A3 (en) * 2003-02-19 2005-03-31 Us Gov Health & Human Serv Amplification or overexpression of mll septin-like fusion (msf) and septin9 and methods related thereto
EP1721992A2 (en) 2005-04-15 2006-11-15 Epigenomics AG Methods and nucleic acids for analyses of cellular proliferative disorders
US7749702B2 (en) 2005-04-15 2010-07-06 Epigenomics Ag Methods and nucleic acids for the analyses of cellular proliferative disorders
EP2045335A1 (en) 2005-04-15 2009-04-08 Epigenomics AG Methods and nucleic acids for analyses of cellular proliferative disorders
US7951563B2 (en) 2005-04-15 2011-05-31 Epigenomics Ag Methods and nucleic acids for analysis of cellular proliferative disorders
US8900829B2 (en) 2005-04-15 2014-12-02 Epigenomics Ag Methods and nucleic acids for analyses of cellular proliferative disorders
US9695478B2 (en) 2005-04-15 2017-07-04 Epigenomics Ag Methods and nucleic acids for the analyses of cellular proliferative disorders
US10385402B2 (en) 2005-04-15 2019-08-20 Epigenomics Ag Methods and nucleic acids for analyses of cellular proliferative disorders
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CN111587253A (en) * 2017-09-19 2020-08-25 博爱米拉索勒股份公司 Anti-human Migration Stimulating Factor (MSF) and uses thereof
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EP1042466A1 (en) 2000-10-11
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AU1571299A (en) 1999-07-05
US20080187962A1 (en) 2008-08-07
US7811789B2 (en) 2010-10-12
WO1999031233A8 (en) 1999-08-12
GB9726539D0 (en) 1998-02-11
US7351810B1 (en) 2008-04-01
EP1042466B1 (en) 2009-02-11

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